Hummingbird604.com » geekifying myself

The demise of the desktop computer?

Raul — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:08:01 +0000

photo credit: Al Abut

JT and I were having a good ol’ geek conversation the other day where I mentioned I was thinking of buying a SSD (solid state drive) for my desktop. Call me old-fashioned, but I get a certain amount of excitement from editing a paper, a report or a book manuscript on my desktop. In fact, I feel much more in control of how I blog and so on. Somehow, my brain is wired to think “big desktop computer = great editing capabilities”. Don’t ask me why, it may be just me. I guess I also associate the fact that I completed my doctoral dissertation and 2 book manuscripts on my desktop computer.

JT thinks that as we move more into the world of mobile devices (smartphones, tablet personal computers, etc.) slowly but surely bulky, heavy, not-moveable desktop computers will find its demise.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

HP TouchPad (review)

Raul — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:00:36 +0000

Every time I get a tech gadget for review I feel all giddy. Mostly because I am not a “tech writer” per se, but I’m techie enough that I can assess whether the device will work for me and for a broader general audience (my blog’s audience is very much a mixture, but I do have a lot of tech-related readers still). So I absolutely loved when HP Canada invited me to the opening of their Alberni and Thurlow store in Downtown Vancouver, and even more so when they gave me an HP TouchPad. I have previously had good (and some mediocre) experiences with Hewlett Packard, so I was keen to try this one out.

Full disclosure: I had never considered owning a tablet up until this past year. JT has two (Apple’s iPad and a Blackberry PlayBook). I had played with the Samsung tablet and I was very curious to know how HP would fare with their tablet. I don’t have the kind of cash to shell out on a tablet unless I find A LOT of value in it. Also, bear in mind what I would use a tablet for: I am an academic who travels a lot, and a consultant who works remotely (client sites mostly). I read academic papers and I read my social platforms, etc. I also occasionally check out newspapers (and I’m glad that most of the newspapers that I look at are optimized for tablet reading).

While some people may find it too big, it was really comfortable for me to bring my HP TouchPad to the airport and read stuff on the internet while my Mom’s flight arrived.

The first thing I noticed was that if you use the HP TouchPad in landscape mode, you can actually cram a lot of information. Here you can see how the TouchPad renders my personal Facebook page.

The great things about the HP TouchPad:

The search function “Just Type” is quite unique, and loved being able to access things like Google searches, Wikipedia, etc. just by typing what I wanted.
The “card deck” approach makes me feel that the view is uncluttered. You can just flick a “card” away and close the application. I’ve used it quite a lot.
There are elements that are rather intuitive, like the Photos function. Even my Mom could play with the HP TouchBook without feeling stupid.
In many ways the HP TouchPad behaves like the Apple devices (the home function at the bottom, etc.) so it like an iPhone 4.
You can use the HP TouchPad to watch movies as it opens Flash websites
The Facebook app renders beautifully.

The bad things about the HP TouchPad

It’s SLOOOOW to open PDFs. I literally went to sleep before the HP TouchPad was able to open my doctoral dissertation. And let me tell you, my PhD thesis is only 9 megabytes.
Renders some websites with poor quality, although I have to admit I loved how it renders my blog
It was next to impossible to find out how to VPN into the UBC network (something I need to do in order to read academic articles behind paywalls, my HP TouchPad’s IP needs to be recognized by the university’s network).
It feels like it weighs like a brick, compared to an iPad 2 and a PlayBook
The Twitter client is horrid. Spaz is really spastic.

My overall assessment of the HP TouchPad:

Independently of the fact that I got the HP TouchPad for free, I probably would not invest my own money in it at this time. But of all the tablets out there (and I’ve sort of played around with all of them), I find that the one that I would probably tolerate using (note, TOLERATE, not LOVE) would be the HP TouchPad.

Why?

Because the iPad is annoying with its lack of Flash, the Playbook is too small, the Samsung tablet feels small too, and the HP TouchPad is the size that I need to read academic articles without killing my (already weakened) eyes. But I think what I will need to do is download the PDF articles and put them on the HP TouchPad, because otherwise, waiting for the TouchPad to download them will make me feel like I’m watching wall paint dry.

I think HP needs to rethink what the HP TouchPad is supposed to do and seriously improve PDF rendering and make a lot more apps better for webOS. Some of the apps are good, some are simply terrible. But I do want to keep using the HP TouchPad and make the most of it for academic purposes.

I wrote this review of the HP TouchPad as part of a blogger relations program by Hill and Knowlton on behalf of their client HP Canada. I am not paid to write the review. Me and several other bloggers got the HP TouchPad for free, but HP Canada has made it clear that no review is mandatory nor expected. In any review I write, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions or should your company want to send me a product for review, feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.

HP TouchPad Launch at Hewlett Packard Vancouver Store

Raul — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 18:00:41 +0000

I was one of a handful of bloggers who were invited to attend the launch of the Hewlett Packard HP TouchPad. I’ve tested other tablets before (I’ve played around with the Samsung Galaxy Tab and with JT’s iPad) and I found the HP TouchPad rather intuitive. So intuitive my Mom played with it at the actual event launch.

Claudia from Travelling Mom

Rob Lewis and Knowlton Thomas from TechVibes

John (JohnBiehler.com), Kristi (Fraser Valley Pulse), Cassandra (Good Life Vancouver) and Karm (VanCity Buzz)

I love the HP TouchPad, to be quite honest (and not only because I got one for free). I found it portable, it plays Flash and it was very intuitive to use. It’s a bit slower, from what I can see, compared to for example an iPad, and the WebOS is not as pervasive as Apple’s iOS.

HP TouchPad will be available from U.S. retailers, commercial resellers and direct from HP with the option of either 16 GB or 32 GB of internal storage(1) for $499.99 and $599.99, respectively.

I’m not totally sold on the selling point of the webOS being the major feature, but I did find it intuitive. The portability, the ease of setup and the fact that it connects to wireless point sources pretty effortlessly were major elements I liked. Even my Mom felt it was intuitive.

My Mom and Christine McAvoy (Vancouver Is Awesome)

Made to work like you, but with fewer coffee breaks. Get productive, or at least fake it really well with a brilliantly large screen, the ability to multitask like a champion of multitasking, wireless printing to compatible HP printers, and thousands of apps from the App Catalog.1,2 And because you deserve it, play games, download movies or TV shows, listen to music powered by Beats Audio™, and browse the same web you know and love with support for Adobe® Flash® player.

I’ll definitely need to play more with the HP TouchPad but I can see the potential, particularly watching movies (something that is harder to do with iPad because it doesn’t support Flash) and reading academic journal articles and books. I’m also excited about the intuitive element to Facebook, and the portability of my calendars.

I wrote this review/commentary of the HP TouchPad as part of a blogger relations program by Hill and Knowlton on behalf of their client HP Canada. All bloggers who participated in the launch (myself included) got an HP TouchPad for free. I am not paid to write the review, nor am I expected to do so. In any review I write, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions or should your company want to send me a product for review, feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.

Learn some basic coding/HTML if you have a WordPress blog

Raul — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:00:36 +0000

After careful reflection on the fact that I was NOT at WordCamp Victoria 2011, it just occurred to me the kind of talk I *could* have given had I remembered at the time of proposal submission. One of the things that I think facilitates my blogging and allows me to crank as many posts as I do per week is that I learned a little tiny bit of coding and HTML to facilitate my workflow. I know exactly which plugins I want to use, and how a plugin or a theme should be hacked to make it do what I want. I try to write for the web and think for the web (two very useful complementary skills). As Ariane Colenbrander said to me at my WordCamp Fraser Valley talk: “I’m a good art designer”. There’s also a little back story to this, actually two.

Photo credit: Peregrino Will Reign on Flickr

The first one: I started using computers when I was very little, inspired by the American TV show Whiz Kids. So, I have had a penchant for computer programming. Yeah, this is probably one of the reasons why I enjoy blogging so much, and doing my own stunts. Heck, the computer geekery has stayed with me even as I grew older. When I was deciding what to do a Masters’ degree in, I dipped my feet wet and took 1 semester of courses in a Masters of Science in Computer Science. Yes, I took Boolean Logic, Set Theory, C++ Programming and Visual Basic.

The second story has to do with my good friend Rebecca Bollwitt. When we first met, I was pretty much a newbie. I had blogged for over a year and a bit, but I hadn’t moved to WordPress, I hadn’t really learned much of the code behind it, etc. I was just a writer. I knew nothing about WordPress. Rebecca taught me A LOT of what I know about WordPress and the PHP and HTML behind/underneath it, over coffee, lunches, liveblogging the same events, etc. And she immediately understood what I meant when I said that I liked doing my own stunts: even if I’m not a web developer, I love being able to create my own websites. Basic as they may be, but I just love being able to do some of the basic HTML coding. Rebecca taught me and enabled me to do that with my websites.

Much of the customization you’ve seen here on Hummingbird604.com was done by good friends of mine: Rebecca taught me a lot of the basic inner workings of WordPress, J. Karen Parker adapted the Deviant art WordPress theme for me, and several other good friends have helped me with stuff here and there (Ianiv Schweber with some of the theme issues, Mike Yurechko, Tris Hussey, Andy Peatling and almost every time I scream for help, someone on Twitter is willing to help me.

photo credit: Charles Williams

But still, I code by hand a lot of the HTML tags that make WordPress do the things they do (e.g. embedding my photos and align them to the left or right, change fonts, etc). I *love* doing this basic coding. It makes me feel that I am independent and self-reliant. So, even if you are a blogger or a website copy writer, I would very strongly recommend you to learn some basic HTML and learn a bit more in-depth.

And a fun fact – I wrote by hand all the HTML code around the photo shown to force it to align to the left and provide the photo credit underneath with a link back to Flickr (pretty much the way my PhotoDropper plugin does). How cool is that?

Review: HP PhotoSmart Premium Fax series C309 [part 3]

Raul — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 02:25:30 +0000

You may have read my reviews of the HP PhotoSmart Premium C309 last year (read Part 1 and Part 2) . I kept the printer (as per Hewlett Packard Canada’s offer) and I was very disappointed with the fact that I could not scan-to-PDF wirelessly. I don’t know why this problem happens, but I can tell you one thing – I found out how to scan-to-PDF completely seamlessly and that’s why I am writing this blog post. Just connect the printer to your laptop/desktop computer via USB (you will need a long-enough cable or a USB-to-USB cable so that you can connect them).

After I set up the printer drivers (I can’t recall if the software does it on its own, but I do recall that it was an absolutely painless process), I started testing whether I could print (which I could). To print via the USB, you’ll have to choose from your list of printers HP PhotoSmart C309 Copy 1 (USB).

When I tested scan-to-PDF, I simply located the document I wanted to scan and then used the control panel (there’s four options on your LCD screen, you can choose “Scan” and then “To Computer” and then “To PDF”), and then press OK. The printer scanned it really fast and it saved it in My Documents / My Scans. It was a really painless process, and I think that this printer has become about 6 times more useful now that I can actually print easily and scan-to-PDF.

I know that one of the major selling points is the wireless attribute for most wireless printers, but frankly I don’t know why I would want to set it up wireless when I am mostly at my desk all day (except, of course, when I have meetings with clients or students, or when I teach). At any rate, most of the problems I manifested with the HP PhotoSmart Premium C309 disappeared once I connected the printer to my laptop via USB. Maybe not worth a full blog post, but hey, small discoveries and pleasures in life! Also, I hope this post is useful for those who are struggling with the wireless connection.

I wrote a review of the HP PhotoSmart Premium Fax Series C309 (read Part 1 and Part 2) as part of a blogger relations program by Hill & Knowlton on behalf of their client HP Canada. I kept the printer as HP Canada made it clear that I could keep the printer should I desire to do so (I have bought the ink cartridges and paper supplies on my own dime, though). In any review I write, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions or should your company want to send me a product for review, feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.

Adding a data plan to a smartphone: A pretty smart idea

Raul — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:30:39 +0000

Photo credit: Gus Fosarolli on Flickr

You probably are thinking “no, really? you never had a data plan with your iPhone?“. Well, up until the middle of December, I hadn’t. I didn’t want to be connected ALL THE TIME. And then I realized that I felt insane amounts of frustration when I wanted to tweet something about a theatre, dance performance or at a restaurant and I couldn’t. I didn’t want to be attached to a 3 year contract. But the one I have doesn’t have these strings attached. And I can’t even begin to tell you how many times that iPhone with data has saved me. In Victoria, Courtenay, Parksville, everywhere I used it to find addresses when I was walking around. And restaurants. I just can’t believe I didn’t have a data plan for so long. My productivity has increased exponentially!

Win a Samsung Netbook N145 from @hummingbird604 and @BBYCanada #hb604xmas

Raul — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 23:38:39 +0000

If you’ve read my blog long enough, you’ll know that I am a fan and lover of my laptop. Yet, with its 17 inch monitor, and the additional numeric keyboard on the right hand side, my Acer laptop is just TOO big for me to schlep around and I know that most people have turned on to netbooks. I’m glad to inform you that Best Buy Canada has partnered with me again (you may remember my external hard drive giveaway earlier at the beginning of the school year).

And this holiday season, as Best Buy Canada published their Holiday Gift Guide 2010, they offered me a Samsung netbook (value $299 before taxes) to give away to one of my lucky readers.

Inside its high-end, stylish design the N145 is loaded with:

Intel Atom processor and 1GB system memory
160GB hard drive
Wireless LAN 802.11b/g/n
Pre-installed Windows 7 Starter
VGA, USB and memory card connectivity options

Turn it on and the N145′s 10.1″ LED-backlit display will bring your digital world to life. At just 1.2kg, it’s the ideal secondary PC that lets you store up to 160GB of important files, toss it in your bag, and access the Internet and perform basic tasks just about anywhere. Built-in Wi-Fi gives you the power to connect to your online universe at any place a wireless network exists. Plus, the webcam and microphone help you stay connected to friends, family and colleagues.

I was thinking of what to ask for the comment on this post, as when I gave away the external hard drive I asked for your stories of horrible storage data losses. This time, I think it’d be good to read your stories on what use would you give your netbook. Tell me a story of where or how would you use it (maybe write a final paper at the library, or write your novel seaside in Tofino, you name it). You tell me your story of why you should win this netbook and where would you put it to good use.

I’ll draw (as I usually do) a random winner from all entries. Your first entry will be a comment, and you can earn a second one by tweeting the following (I will count the second entry only after you have posted a comment, which is your first entry).

Entered to win a Samsung Netbook from @hummingbird604 and @bbycanada – read how I will use it if I win! http://is.gd/ijkEH #hb604xmas

I love reading all these stories and can’t wait to hear how you will use your netbook. If I were given one (which I am not, as it’s only for the contest), I would totally take it with me on a writing retreat in Whistler or Qualicum Beach or the Thompson-Okanagan region. You have until December 20th at 5pm to enter my giveaway. Good luck!

The netbook I’m giving away to my readers is sponsored by Best Buy Canada and has a retail value of $299.99. I do not receive any monetary compensation, nor do I receive a free item either. I just thought it would be great for my readers to learn more about what Best Buy is offering for the holiday season through their Holiday Gift Guide 2010. Should you have any questions about this contest, feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.

What would my professional life be without a smartphone?

Raul — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:00:11 +0000

Credit: GusF on Flickr

It’s been almost a year since my good friend Mike Yurechko gave me an early Christmas present and iPhone-ified me. Since then, I have used my iPhone extensively for just about everything. I pre-type emails and blog posts while I am enroute or commuting from one place to another. I respond to client requests and potential partners for my projects. I live by my Google Calendar, which is synchronized with my Calendar app on the iPhone.

Heck I have even used my iPhone to entertain my nephew L with the apps for little children! So quite frankly I can’t see myself without a smartphone anymore. Heck I am even considering getting into one of those tyrannical 3 yer data plans!

It’s amazing how my attitude towards smartphones changed so much in one year. I loved my “stupid phone” but now I am infatuated with my smartphone, and especially with my iPhone.

Ah, what a difference a year makes!

Complementary skills: Thinking for the web and writing for the web

Raul — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 22:50:52 +0000

photo credit: Ethan Hein

As an academic, before I started writing a blog, all I thought about was how to conduct my research in a rigorous, theoretically-sound, empirically-testable way. My writing was intended to explain phenomena and describe my research methodology in an accurate and precise way. Then I entered the world of tech (via blogging)

While I began hanging out with tech types, reading tech blogs and engaging on social networking sites, I sometimes continued to write in “academiquese”. My writing was jargon-laden and often abstruse. Then I realized that there was a world out there of things I had never thought about, until I started creating my own website and writing for a broader audience. I designed my research website from scratch and personalized Hummingbird604.com as it is right now.

I began to think about SEO (Search Engine Optimization). I learned to write keyword-rich text and found about the meaning of “content strategy“. Copywriting, DNS-propagation and clean URLs all became part of my vocabulary. And as I was having beers with my good friend Susie Gardner (co-author of Blogging for Dummies, in case you were wondering) the other day, I realized that to be successful online, you need to know a bit about how to build websites (thinking for the web) and about how to write compelling content that will be crawled by search engines and found and engage your reader (writing for the web). Susie agreed with my viewpoint, adding that you may not need to be a website builder, but know enough about how to make websites to make your writing shine in said website.

It seems to me as though the most successful people online are those who are able to master, to some solid degree, both sets of complementary skills. What do you think?

Back to school with @BBYCanada – Backup your homework!

Raul — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:49:14 +0000

I am back to teaching undergraduates in the next couple of weeks (argh! is it really THAT soon? help!) so pretty much all I have on top of my mind is preparing lecture slides, shaping the contents of my syllabus and deciding on the topics I want to cover. So, when the PR folks for Best Buy approached me to inform me about the offerings they had for back-to-school season (which is starting now and up until possibly the first week of September, when we are all back to university), I inquired whether they’d sponsor a giveaway for my readers.

And Best Buy kindly agreed!

I’m giving away one (1) Western Digital MyBook World Edition 1TB 3.5″ External Hard Drive, valued at $169.99 (Canadian retail price).

Create an automatic, continuous backup of all the Windows-based and Mac computers in your home. Included backup software allows you to seamlessly access data from up to five computers, so you can store and share your family’s digital media in one central location.
· Access files anytime, anywhere using MioNet remote access technology
· 1TB of networked storage
· Built-in media server
· Windows and Mac compatible

To enter this giveaway, tell me your lost data nightmare story in the comments section. Let me tell you mine, rather quickly. My laptop died as I was completing my PhD dissertation and I didn’t use to back up often enough. So I had to email myself early drafts of my PhD dissertation – and one day, I emailed myself the wrong one and had to rewrite about 20 pages (of 200 at the time). Ouch. Yes, ouch is right. I learned my lesson and now backup regularly.

You have until Monday August 23rd at 2pm to enter my giveaway. Drop a comment on this post for one entry, and gain an additional one by tweeting the text below:

I entered the external hard drive giveaway from @hummingbird604 and @bbycanada http://bit.ly/aOaL1J. Share your backup nightmare stories!

The external hard drive I’m giving away to my readers is sponsored by Best Buy Canada and has a retail value of $169.99. I do not receive any monetary compensation, nor do I receive a free item either. I just thought it would be great for my readers to learn more about what Best Buy is offering for Back-To-School season. Should you have any questions about this contest, feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.

On being self-reliant in building websites

Raul — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:52:10 +0000

photo credit: Markus Rödder

About two-and-a-half years ago, my good friend Rebecca Bollwitt (Miss604) helped me secure my domain name (e.g. Hummingbird604.com) and move from just having a WordPress.com blog to having clean URLs (that map directly without the .wordpress.com). I was so proud of myself that I blogged about how I did it. It became one of my most popular blog posts. In November of 2008, I decided to host my sites in an external server outside of WordPress.com. My good friend J. Karen Parker moved all my three websites to the server where they are currently hosted and customized the WordPress theme Deviant Art to make it look and do what I wanted it to do.

My professional activity is NOT building websites. I am primarily an academic and researcher who dabbles occasionally in the field of social media consulting, given that I am a power user and love applying the tools of social networking and this kind of consulting project. BUT, I also love doing my own stunts (to quote my beloved Jennifer Garner).

So, in the past week, I decided that I needed to rebuild my consultancy website. So I bought the new domain, created the WordPress database I needed to install WordPress 3.0.1, FTP’d WordPress on to my server and installed it. All by myself. Of course, I did ask Twitter a few questions and my good friend Catherine Winters was very helpful (thanks also to everyone who answered on Twitter). But for the most part (I’d say 99%), I did it all by myself. Suffering through the sometimes horrendously complicated documentation both for my host and for WordPress (I love you Matt, Andy, Lloyd, but the Codex needs some serious rewriting).

Once I saw the “WordPress has been installed” sign and got on to my login and entered my credentials and launched the Dashboard, I almost wanted to shed a tear. I did it. I am able to install my own WordPress and create a website should I ever need to do it again. I am self-reliant.

You could say “well, you *could* hire someone to do this“. And yes, I could (theoretically, if money wasn’t a constraint, which in my case, IS very much a constraint). But the most rewarding feeling to me was to know that, come hell or high water, and even though my hosting company is pretty raw in what it offers (e.g. it doesn’t have a very non-geek-friendly CPanel), I can, if I need to, build another website from scratch and generate everything I need on my own.

And that is an amazing feeling.

Redesigning Hummingbird604.com

Raul — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:30:34 +0000

There’s something that needs to change here at Hummingbird604.com

Not sure exactly what, but I have been feeling the need to re-theme my site. This theme was completely customized to my liking by my good friend J. Karen Parker. She fiddled with the CSS to adjust the column width, moved stuff here and there. She made sure that everything looked good (this site has a customized version of the Deviant Art theme).

But right now I think I need to give it a change of look. Not sure why I feel the need to do the re-theming right now, but I know one thing. I’m not going to use TwentyTen. Yes, even though WordPress 3.0 has been released, and even though I could fiddle with Thesis, and I could do a few things here and there, I think I’m going to instead spend some time exploring a few WordPress themes that would make my site look still professional. But not TwentyTen. Why not? Because it’s the generic WordPress.com theme. And that would make my blog exactly the same as the other 20 million blogs hosted on WordPress.com

And I don’t want that

My absolute dependency on the iPhone

Raul — Mon, 10 May 2010 05:35:24 +0000

Credit: GusF on Flickr

A few weeks back I was reflecting on the fact that I had become really dependent on having an iPhone. Ever since my friend Mike Yurechko iPhonified me, I have been absolutely dependent on my iPhone. For a day-and-a-half, I had to resort to using my old Motorola (which is basically the least tech-ie phone you can find) and I felt SO LOST.

I use my iPhone to answer emails, read my Twitter stream on the go, listen to music, and take photographs. I don’t think I can function without a smart phone anymore. That makes me wonder – how the heck did I survive THIS long without a smart phone?

Retweeting, contests and social media etiquette

Raul — Tue, 04 May 2010 00:24:11 +0000

Since February of 2009, I have been running a number of contests on my blog, particularly to promote local events, such as dance exhibitions, theatre shows, movies, etc.

While my traffic has gone up, I have also noticed at the same time, a decline in hyperlinking to other blogs and a decline in comments overall in the blogosphere (I’m really lucky in that my readers still comment quite a lot, though, so I ain’t one to complain).

Credit: Rob Cottingham (Noise 2 Signal)

For a while, as my online network grew, I have had my followers gain additional entries to my contests by just retweeting the post. The reason why I did that was because I thought that made it easier for them to enter the contest.

But I can see the point that my good friend Rob Cottingham makes in his cartoon and blog entry on Read Write Web, which probably should be titled “How to Retweet to Win in a Contest And Lose Followers“. It is true, we seem to have lost the ability to engage in online conversation and build community.

I loved the post, and as usually, Rob made me think about what I can do to make my contest posts more conversational and less about the retweet. Good food for thought. Now, if you were in my place, and you ran contests online, how would YOU make them more conversational? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

And no, please don’t retweet this post to win anything. If you think it’s worth sharing with your networks, please do so, but by no means feel obligated to retweet.

The excitement about the Apple Tablet

Raul — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:42:24 +0000

You’d need to be living under a rock (or not be involved in the tech community) in order to avoid the conversations online about the upcoming potential announcement from Apple Inc. about their release of a new product (a tablet computer, apparently).

I asked on Twitter what the relevance of Apple’s tablet was. Several of my friends who responded emphasized the potential for the tablet to revolutionize the way we do computing. I will admit that my iPhone has really increased dramatically my productivity and eased my professional and personal lives. I can even answer questions that my students ask on-the-go.

I do find Apple’s products incredibly expensive and perhaps a tad overpriced. However, I recognize that they have a lot of very powerful features. I just wish their products weren’t out of my budget reach! But, seriously though, I think I want to know exactly what people are looking forward to. I would publish a summary of the tweets that I’ve received in response, but I’m heading out the door for lunch with a friend, so while I’m out, have at it on the comments section!

Life in a post-smart phone era

Raul — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:19:21 +0000

It’s been about a month since I received my iPhone (courtesy of Mike Yurechko, who gave me an early Christmas present). During this past month, despite my promise to myself that I would fully disconnect from the world, I managed to stay in touch and on top of many things (particularly, Mental Health Camp – which is a cause that I definitely needed to be monitoring – and a request for an interview asking for my expert opinion on environmental policy by CBC On The Coast).

The really funny thing to me now is that, despite the fact that I am now almost 99% of the time connected (I don’t have a data plan, so I download my email, FB updates, sync my calendar and download my tweets using the connect-to-wireless properties of my phone), I don’t see it as an annoyance for the most part. Having the iPhone has given me the opportunity to read and compose responses to important emails while I commute. Read interesting tweets while I am on the Canada Line or the Skytrain on my way to the office. Had I not had my iPhone, holiday shopping in Calgary while trying to coordinate with my Mom, cousin and sister-in-law would have been a nightmare (given that my cousin was sending me emails to update me where she was, using her BlackBerry).

But there is something that made me stop on my tracks and reflect on the ubiquitous nature of iPhones. At many of the social gatherings I have attended in recent weeks (already armed with my iPhones), we seem to be taking the approach of “photo or it didn’t happen“. We TwitPic what’s happening. We tweet about what we do, on site. We check-in on FourSquare or GoWalla. My question to you is – does this detract from the experience?

I have found that for the most part, having an iPhone and being able to have online tools all the time (without having to schlep my laptop around) is useful. When I organized the most recent Preventable bloggers event, I sent out a lot of tweets and YFrog photos documenting the event. It was extremely useful to have my iPhone. But, in other social settings, doesn’t being always online detract from the experience?

What do YOU think?

I have been iPhone-ified thanks to @yurechko

Raul — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:29:25 +0000

Remember that I said that I needed an iPhone (I posted about it recently). When I went to Nanaimo, JT made sure that I could connect to the internet using his iPhone and tethering. Well, Christmas arrived early! My friend Mike Yurechko gave me the biggest surprise of 2009 with my early Christmas present – an iPhone! I just now need to find out about data plans, etc. But it works great, and it really will help my business and my personal life (oh, that beautiful sync with Google Calendar). Thanks again so much, Mike!

Suggestions for software to design business cards

Raul — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:54:19 +0000

photo credit: petter palander

My 2010 will begin with a new set of business cards, so I am trying to find the best software (and of course, free or next-to-nothing) to design them. My understanding when you work with a printer for business cards is that you make the file really big and then they shrink it and size it and what not.

So, I figured I’d crowdsource suggestions on which software to use. I don’t have a Mac, so you’re going to have to go with PC suggestions Thanks! Actually, come to think about it, is there anything that generates the full page (8.5″ x 11″) of cards so that I can then show them to the printer?

Thanks!

Tethering on an iPhone for PC

Raul — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:15:53 +0000

Credit: Dougbelchaw

My consultancy has had a home at The Network Hub for over a year now, so I really haven’t had much need for wireless access outside of my office. However, given that I do a lot of research field trips, and being the case that I’m away from Vancouver today, I reflected on the fact that I may, at some point, need some form of non-coffee-shop wireless access. As you may all know, I don’t have an iPhone.

The truth is, the one thing that probably is swaying me the most (in addition to possibly responding to tweets and emails on the go) is the idea of tethering. I’m not sure what the cost on the data plan is going to be (I’m doing work today remotely with an iPhone, tethering on my PC laptop) but I figure that it should at least be a possibility. I wasn’t really sure whether it would really work with my PC as my laptop is not a Mac, but I have to hand it to Apple – as I said on Twitter.

Successfully tethering (on a PC), borrowed iPhone. Very clever, Apple. Your device tethers *even* w/ PCs, & seamlessly.

Now, I might need to start looking into an iPhone data plan and contract.

I need an iPhone (or an Android or BlackBerry for that matter)

Raul — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:03:29 +0000

photo credit: brian.ch

I have been thinking about the kind of equipment I need and most of the people who know me (even those who meet me for the first time) are kind of shocked that my cell phone is not a smart phone. I have probably the stupidest, simplest phone ever. It doesn’t even have a camera. I chose it for that very reason. I am always online so I chose the least techie phone I could.

There is only one little problem – currently, my workload is so massive and I have to travel to client sites, and to the schools where I teach, so given that I too, have Obssessive Productive Disorder (OPD, as Chris Burdge put it on his comment on my post on the Minimum Travel Work Unit, MTWU), I would benefit from having a smart phone. I could tweet, respond to client’s emails, or my students’ emails, etc.

The only challenge would be (a) to deal with the long-term contracts that phone companies lock you in (I am currently in a pay-as-you-go, non-data plan) and (b) assess whether I really, really want to be THAT connected. I do foresee enormous benefits, but I’m still debating whether I’m going to go the smart phone way or not.

Thoughts, my dear readers?

Laptop bag review: Kensington Contour (Backpack Style)

Raul — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:27:56 +0000

Everybody who knows me well will agree that I am a guy who is “all about the equipment“. I like having everything that I need for my work, be it a good digital camera, a solid laptop, a good desktop computer or office space. The same applies to laptop bags. I had been searching around for an affordable, solid laptop bag that would carry everything an academic geek like me needs to carry. Unfortunately, I hadn’t found anything suitable for less than $100 CND a pop. Budget and all, you know.

Enter the Kensington Contour Model K62238 laptop bag (I call it the Backpack Style since I couldn’t find any other differentiating element that would help me distinguish it from the model K62340, which is a portfolio style). The Kensington Contour K62238 retails in the US for $ 69.99, but I have to admit that I got a really good deal at Future Shop (it was on sale). I would probably have still paid the $ 69.99, because of the Contour adjustable lumbar support panel, which is aimed at reducing fatigue by shifting weight onto the hips.

Remember that I’m 5’11 tall and that, in addition to my 17″ laptop (I know, a bit of a mamooth but I like my 17″ for all the writing I do), I carry around a lot of books, journal articles, etc. Add my iPod, wireless mouse, sunglasses, cell phone, laptop cables and laptop security lock, and I really need a good size laptop bag. That’s what really sold me on the Kensington Contour. The adjustable lumbar support rocks.

The side pockets allow me to carry my water bottle, my cell (for easy reach), and both the security lock and the laptop power cables fit in the side pockets (with zippers). The laptop compartment is very well padded and fits perfectly the 17″ laptop. For the first time since I got the laptop, I feel really safe about carrying it around. I should definitely pass the word on to my friend Kate Trgovac who actually has a full website where she reviews laptop bags! I would strongly endorse the Kensington Contour, particularly if you carry a lot of books (like me, academic geek) in your backpack.

Disclosure: I reviewed this laptop bag as I thought it would benefit my readers. I paid for the laptop bag myself. I am not paid to write the review. In any review I write, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions/concern feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.

Upgrading and adding WordPress plugins to my blog

Raul — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:15:19 +0000

I’ve written a lot on my blog very publicly about how much I’ve learned from my good friend Rebecca Bollwitt (aka Miss604). She was, and still is in many ways, my blogging Jedi Master. This past year, 2008, was a total breakthrough for me in regards to my use of content management systems tools (like WordPress), my involvement in social media and my growth as a blogger, and it was in great part thanks to Rebecca. I absorbed an immense amount of bits and pieces of knowledge about all things WP. As you know, I like to do my own stunts. I cleaned my own URLs last year, I bought and re-directed my domain to WP.com and even gave a presentation at WordCamp Fraser Valley. Last year, at WordCamp Vancouver 2008, Rebecca presented on how to insert photos to your posts and make them very pretty. This year, neither her nor myself have really had the time to spend together geeking out (even though we thoroughly enjoy doing that at either coffee shops or during our traditional lunches) and therefore I have had to do much of my own stuff, including upgrading my plugins and learning by doing. This is the best way to learn, albeit the learning curve is sometimes steep. Rebecca is naturally geeky and her technical skills way surpass mine. I could ask my good friend Karen Parker (who has helped me a lot in the past) but I know she’s busy too. So I have had to test much of the stuff I want to use on my own this past year.

As JT was driving me last Friday to my office (he tried very generously to solve a problem I had with my computer but there was a problem with the electrical energy and we couldn’t work on my stuff), we were chatting about how much time I was wasting going to my Flickr account and trying to find a photo to use (from me or from my own friends). JT suggested that I needed to spend the time exploring a number of new plugins that would give my blog more functionality ONCE and that I would be set for the future. JT was right. I just installed WP Touch (which should make your visualization of my blog on any smart phone like Android or iPhone much prettier), developed by our friends Duane and Dale; installed also Flickr Photo Album which allows me to insert photos much faster (although I still need to figure out how to do the footers quickly, I need to create a QuickTag). There are a couple of plugins I still need to upload and activate, including the one that allows you to tweet a post (or RT) and the one that lists the tweets that have mentioned your post.

Comparing CoverItLive and ScribbleLive for liveblogging

Raul — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:56:04 +0000

Richard asked me on Twitter how does ScribbleLive compare to Cover It Live and what my opinion of both tools is. I have a really hard time comparing two tools that I enjoy thoroughly and whose creators both have been in personal contact with me via e-mail and over Twitter. I am a big supporter of Canadian enterpreneurs and therefore will not choose one over the other. My intention is to continue undertaking liveblogs with both tools and testing them thoroughly and offer my feedback.

As it happens with anything, I got very used to Cover It Live at the beginning simply because it was the first tool I tested. I like the fact that Cover It Live gives me an iFrame to insert. This past week was the first time that I had tested ScribbleLive and I had a few glitches (that I have to say, the folks of SL were there to help me with as my liveblog went by). I know that both tools allow for importing Twitter feeds, although I frankly like the SL presentation better than the CiL display of Twitter feeds.

TechVibes compared SL and CiL recently, but I’m not sure if they’ve tested the tools. However, I do know that both Rebecca and I have tested both tools. (Update – Via Twitter Rebecca just confirmed that Canucks Fan Zone uses CiL for liveblogs). I know that AgendaCamp Waterloo is using SL for their liveblogging

Bottom line – for me, both tools are useful and I plan to use them both on different occasions and seeing how things go. I believe in co-opetition (if you need to know the background, read the Brandenburger book). At any rate, I think both tools are very useful and look forward to using them further down the road.

Improvements to my site to increase the bi-directionality and conversation

Raul — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:12:57 +0000

I have previously indicated on my blog that I’m primarily interested in keeping the conversation up and engaging with people. My personal behaviours (engaging with people who follow me on Twitter and with whom I’ve met at tech events) are also indicative of this pattern. However, I had been remiss for the past few months to implement a few changes that would make interaction much easier.

While many excellent bloggers take a substantial amount of time to customize their sites with relative frequency, I am going to admit that I am, for the most part, somewhat reluctant to go into the techie parts of my site. Uploading plugins, activating them, customizing them, changing the theme, personalizing the site, etc. I know that all of these are things we need to do in order to facilitate and maintain good interaction between me as the blog writer and my readers, and amongst the people who read my blog.

The past couple of days, I decided to do some upgrading, and I’ve enhanced the blog with a couple of plugins. First, now all my comments are CommentLuv-enabled. This means that every time you drop a comment on my blog, this WordPress plugin will try and parse your latest post for display. How is this relevant? Well, it gives you as a commentator exposure as the title and link of your most recent blog entry will show directly underneath your comment (therefore creating link-love).

Second, I have enabled a handy contact form so that you don’t have to use your email client to send me a message. The contact form is in my About Me page. Third, I enabled “Subscribe to Comments” which will allow you as the reader to track the conversation that is occurring on the comments section. Finally, I have managed to install a stats package (not that I care that much about stats per se, but they do give me some sense of what people are reading).

Feel free to drop a comment (I am particularly testing these two plugins) on the blog post, and I hope it is useful for you as a reader!

Technorati indexing, Google searching and self-hosting

Raul — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 21:25:59 +0000

I was pretty shocked (and excited) when my Technorati authority jumped over 153 points in less than three months. I’ve mentioned before that I really don’t give much of a damn about my stats themselves. It’s nice to have grown out of being read by three people to the level of readership I have now, but as I indicated before:

When I get bored of learning about tech issues, social media and blogging, you can rest assured of one thing: I’ll quit. Yes, I will. Why? Because as many people have always recommended, I should do this because I am passionate about it. And I’m passionate about learning about social media and about making new friends. THAT is what I love doing. The rest, is just icing in the cake.

Technorati doesn’t help me make new friends, of course. But it provides me a barometer against which to assess how my content is being read. Still, as I mentioned in the previous post (the one I linked just above), it’s the learning that makes it all worth it. So imagine my surprise when I was exploring my new Dashboard (WP.com and WP.org have slightly different Dashboards) and OH SURPRISE…. I had the option of having a semi-private blog ticked! When I moved over to my new host, I didn’t even think about the implications. Well, it turns out that my blog hasn’t been indexed by Google nor Technorati for the past two weeks.

So the question I posed on Twitter the other day (why isn’t my authority increasing when I’m clearly being linked by new blogs?) loses all value because, well, I wasn’t letting Technorati OR Google index my blog. Which actually might also provide an explanation to why my page views on UrbanSpoon have decreased. Since my blog isn’t being indexed, my restaurant reviews don’t appear in the first few pages of Google.

And if my thoughts are true, as of today, you should be see changes about that right about now. No, I haven’t fixed my stats package yet. But that’s something I’ll deal with after fixing a few other things that aren’t blogging related. Like, you know, spending time with a civilian friend.

[UPDATE - Yes, I was right. I am now being indexed by Google AND Technorati. And my Technorati authority went up to what I thought it would. I *love* being right about something techie!]

Welcome to the new and improved Hummingbird604.com!

Raul — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 08:53:42 +0000

I had been talking about it for months. You had been waiting with baited breath. Everyone was wondering when it would happen. Well, it has happened now! Welcome to the new and improved Hummingbird604.com!

With the outstanding and very capable help of my friend J. Karen Parker, who did the customization of the theme, taught me how to do the FTP’ing and stuff, and helped me fix a number of issues with the self-hosted WP install (otherwise I would have been stuck in .htaccess hell!), I am now able to do way more than I could before (including CSS editing and theme customization, plugins, etc.)

As you may notice, the DevArt theme has been customized to better fit my blog. The hummingbird604 logo that Rebecca kindly customized for my previous theme remains instact. Luckily, this WP.org install allows me to use Javascript, plugins and do a number of things that I wanted to do but was unable to, for a long while.

Thanks a million to Karen for all her help, to everyone who encouraged me to go self-hosted and I hope you enjoy the new layout! Feedback, of course, is always appreciated.

Net neutrality in Canada: The challenges ahead

Raul — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:18:52 +0000

While I have become much more involved with social media in the past year than I had ever before (I am in almost every Web 2.0 application except for Facebook), I hadn’t really thought a lot about the issues with net neutrality until the day when I live-blogged Michael Geist’s talk at Saint John’s College (UBC) as a guest blogger for my friend Rebecca Bollwitt (Miss604) in April of 2008.

Recently, I’ve become more aware that my role in Vancouver’s social media scene is much more than just being the Organizer of Vancouver Bloggers Meetup. It is also part of my role to raise awareness about issues that affect those of us who use the Internet on a regular basis. Moreover, we social media folks are also substantially affected by these challenges.

Steve Anderson (the co-founder of the SaveOurNet.ca Coalition and National Coordinator of Campaign for Democratic Media) and Kate Milberry (SFU doctoral candidate, a good friend and an expert in digital activism) both reminded me of the need to think about social media as an ecosystem. As an expert in environmental issues, I often use ecosystems as a metaphor to analyze phenomena. I have to say that I had thought of social media as an ecosystem, but hadn’t thought of Canadian legislation on net neutrality as one of the challenges. Steve’s article actually gave me good insight on this issue. He writes:

The Conservative federal government is NOT inclined to support an open Internet. To keep a level playing field on the Internet we’ll need a robust citizens movement to put pressure on politicians and policy makers and shape policy that protects equal access. The social web community can provide the foundation for this burgeoning movement – perhaps even serve as a catalyst. Consider this a call to action.[SaveOurNet.ca]

Having engaged in academic activism myself, researched and studied environmental mobilizations, and often preaching to the public to become more involved in public policy, I am always up for supporting activism that benefits our society. So, I would sincerely encourage you to get informed, get involved, and become part of the white cells of the social media biological system. You can help, and if you have a stake in the future of Canadian internet, you probably should.

The future of the internet – Web 3.0?

Raul — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:11:27 +0000

I seem to have heard this concept in passing (Web 3.0) but I am not exactly sure where I did. Most of my non-geeky friends who now identify me with the Vancouver tech community (something I’m proud of, but most definitely not worthy of the title of geek yet!) have asked me what I understand by Web 2.0 and whether there is such thing as Web 3.0. I’ve answered that I’m not 100% sure, but that I’d ask my friends.

I’ve heard several elements that are supposed to be part of Web 3.0. Unfortunately, I’d lie if I said I do remember exactly who said it but some people have mentioned that perhaps the future of Web 2.0 lies with video (vlogging). Some others have implied that we should look at mobile web 2.0 (e.g. everyone jump on their iPhones or equivalent now). If Web 2.0 was all about dynamic interaction between user and content generator, then maybe Web 3.0 adds a third dimension (mobility).

Obviously, we all go at some point to the Wikipedia page, so the entry for Web 3.0 does mention stuff about mobile web, etc. The question I have now is — what do YOU think or understand by the idea of Web 3.0?

Politics 2.0? Are Canadian politicians using Web 2.0 the right way?

Raul — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:10:57 +0000

While I know that there is already buzz around the town on the use of Twitter (seen a couple of posts by Buzz Bishop and Kate Trgovac, as well as one on The Tyee’s The Hook, led by Monte Paulsen), Facebook and other Web 2.0 applications by Canadian politicians (like Elizabeth May, Stephane Dion and Stephen Harper), I am a bit surprised that almost nobody has (at least from what I’ve been reading on the sphere) touched on the very basic element of Web 2.0 – interactivity and bi-directionality.

Even if I don’t follow everyone who follows me on Twitter, I ALWAYS interact with the people who follow me. I have just briefly seen the Twitter account of Elizabeth May and she is not following anyone and has not interacted with anyone. The opposite attitude was that of the Twitter account of Barack Obama who basically followed everyone who was following, and then some more.

I don’t know Liz May, but some of my very closest friends do, and if any of those would like to relay this message to her and to the rest of the politicos in Canada, please feel free to do so – TALK TO YOUR FOLLOWERS. Yeah, you could argue with me that Obama never did talk to anyone on Twitter, but the point I’m trying to make is that Twitter should not be treated *just* as a news broadcast. If those of us who evangelize about all things Web 2.0 are really interested in harnessing social media for change, we need to explain to the “newbies” that the crux of social media is the bidirectional, interactive conversation that occurs within the realm of blogs, Twitter, vlogs, Facebook, etc.

And yeah, boo for fake Twitter accounts for political figures!

Testing Flickr embedding on WP.com

Raul — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:08:08 +0000

Danny suggested that I could embed Flickr videos, and since I like to do my own stunts, I am going to test whether they work. So, if they DO work, below you’ll find a couple of videos of our dinner at Browns Social House, after the reopening of Future Shop Park Royal.

A bunch of geeks at the Future Shop Park Royal opening

Raul — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:21:31 +0000

A few days ago, a bunch of geeks (myself included) received an invitation from Darren to a little escapade to West Vancouver for the new Future Shop store (in Park Royal). I’ll be the first to admit that I love those store openings. You get to be the first to see a lot of ‘bright, shiny objects’ (gadgets), and you get to hang out with your geek friends. A win-win situation.

The main difference I found between this Future Shop and the others I have previously visited (I bought two of my laptop computers at Future Shop, including my about-to-die eMachines) is the concept of The Hub (a centralized customer-centred point of reference).

Photo credit: Derek K. Miller on Flickr.

It was very fun to see several of my friends there (since the invite was somewhat secret, I didn’t actually know who else was coming), including obviously Darren, Derek, Monica, Arieanna, Ianiv, Dale, Roland, Tris, John Biehler and his wife, Gregg Scott and Greg Andrews, and we even bumped into Buzz Bishop.

There is a mini-Apple Store in the Future Shop, but it’s smallish. However, it’s the best you can get if you are an Apple geek and you don’t want to go DT (e.g. if you’re in the North Shore).

Arieanna, Roland and Ianiv. Photo credit: Well, me of course

We were given a very good tour of the store, and I have to admit that I kind of liked when the tour guide said “here, the customer representatives don’t work on commission, we are here to make your experience the best“. For whatever is worth, that demonstrates a refreshing change of pace. I captured some video on my Flickr (I really need to check how to embed Flickr video on WP.com, but that’s not a priority now).

While not everybody went to Browns Social House for dinner afterwards (Greg and Gregg deserted us, hehehe) it was a nice change of scenery for me, and a fun event to attend. I even initiated a discussion on fashion for male geeks on Twitter!

It was also fun just to get away from my worries and spend some time with geek friends, seeing as I already have my flight booked and I’m pretty much 99% packed. Thanks to Darren for inviting us.

[UPDATE - Darren was kind enough to provide us with a fun schematic diagram of The Hub]

Photo Credit: Darren Barefoot

Vancouver Bloggers Meetup for July 2008 – What a success!

Raul — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 07:30:38 +0000

It’s past midnight on Wednesday already. I just got home from having done some shopping at Safeway on Commercial, and catching up on Twitter (sorry if you were one of the people who were viciously bombarded with my tweets). I would *love* to write a really detailed recap, but I am sure that a lot of other bloggers will. And since I am now the Organizer of Vancouver Bloggers Meetup, I am hoping I will be cut some slack (as I spent the vast majority of the time trying to ensure everyone was having a good time, and doing introductions, etc.)

So, a few points. Yes, I know the venue was small, but even though it was so small, lots of people showed up and it was really heartwarming for me. I am very honored that Isabella decided to bestow her leadership role on to me, I really am. I even got my Blogger Sword! I promise I shall use its power for good

I did miss many good friends of mine who are also bloggers, too many to recount, but I do want to single out Rebecca because she did an amazing job of organizing and she entrusted me with passing on her message of how proud she was of the work we all who Blogathoned did, as well as news that there would be some commentary about Blogathon on Metro Vancouver (the newspaper).

Along the same way, Rebecca, it is important that you know that everyone in the room gave you an in absentia ovation for all your hard work in organizing Blogathon. I’m very proud of you and honored to call you a friend. I know these are trying times for you, but I sure hope you know you can always count on me, I really do.

After the Blackwater Cafe (whose staff should be fully commended, as we stayed there well past their closing time, almost 9 pm and Adrienne was SO incredibly helpful and sweet – really good times) a bunch of us headed down to the Lamplighter for a couple of beers. Overall, I had a fabulous time, and I am glad to have seen you all. And as I mentioned in my speech, I am very honored to be able to call so many of you my friends. You are truly awesome.

And on that note, I should go to sleep. I haven’t recovered from Blogathon and need my sleep. Catch you all later.

I actually DO need an iPhone

Raul — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 08:30:54 +0000

As I was preparing to meet Tanya for lunch at the Argo Cafe and packing my bag, I realized that I carry all this equipment everywhere I go:
- My laptop (almost dead, but still, working somewhat)
- My digital camera
- My Flip video camera
- My iPod

For all the fuss I’ve made about NOT buying an iPhone and being outraged at the costs, turns out that I actually DO need one. Simply because I need to stop carrying all this equipment. Also, because it would make my life so much easier if I could have Twitter on the road. *sigh* More money to be shelled out, darn it!

The one thing that deters me is definitely the 3 year contract with Rogers. *sigh* We’ll see what I do with that. But if you already have an iPhone, you can leave me a comment and tell me all the nice features it has. I already know about the camera, the included Twitterrific app, the fact that uses 3G when you don’t have wifi, the albums feature, the GPS and Google directions (but the only problem is that this is not dynamic). Anyhow, what are your favorite applications or uses you are giving to your iPhone?

Switching to WordPress from another platform: What do you want to hear?

Raul — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:13:30 +0000

I’m a bit of a keener (surprise, surprise!). I had my PowerPoint slides for Word Camp Fraser Valley (which is taking place tomorrow, Wednesday July 16th, from 6-9pm) prepared since last week. I know what you’re going to say and yes, I always sat at the front of the class, and yes my notes were written in very neat handwriting, and my distillation towers were designed with different color pens, and I was probably the only chemical engineer in my undergrad who chose to do his homework instead of going out and drink heavily (actually, I did my homework in between dance classes, language classes, going out with my friends, training for competitive volleyball, and martial arts).

But I digress… so the point is, even though I’ve already written my presentation, I would like to ask – if you are considering WordPress as a blogging platform, and/or are considering a switch from Blogger or (dare I say) Movable Type to WP – what kind of things would YOU be interested in hearing about?

In my presentation, basically, I’m going to tell you how I switched from Blogger to WordPress (after MUCH peer pressure) and the results I got from the platform switch-over. But I’m sure you have LOTS of questions that could help me prepare (this is like preparing for a final exam!), and I’d love to hear from you.

I have a standing bet with Jodi, and I have promised her that I will buy her a Dr. Pepper if, after hearing all the presentations at WordCamp, she is not convinced of switching from Movable Type to WordPress. I’m bringing the Dr. Pepper just in case. I have faith in my abilities and those of the fabulous team of bloggers and techies who will be presenting tomorrow, but JUST in case, I’m going to err on the side of caution

Eco-Shield for the iPhone

Raul — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:41:49 +0000

Thanks to a tweet from my friend Duane, I came across the Eco-Shield for the iPhone. Damn, is it ever a sweet case! I do not own an iPhone, as you can imagine from my recent posts on the iPhone and why I couldn’t afford to get one (even if I wanted to – which, truth be told, I do – only if I didn’t have such a limited budget!)

The Eco-Shield for iPhone (Image source: Apple Store)

EcoShield is made of a hard-plastic derived from recycled plastic bottles, even the package is made of recycled paper and easily recyclable plastic. And though the EcoShield is one of the thinnest cases around, it offers protection second to none. With interior pads to protect the iPhone 3G, this case is the perfect choice for life on the go. It also includes an Agent 18 dock adapter, so you can dock your iPhone in any Universal Docking device without taking it out of the case.[Apple Store]

Duane and I have lots in common, we’ve both had some brushes with the academic life, and we are very open in regards to what we discuss in our blogs. And we both love nachos and geekery (although truth be told, I don’t think I could ever reach his Geek Master level – he could write the entire WordPress platform if he wanted to!)

One of the many things that I appreciate in Duane that I don’t think I tell him often enough is his interest in environmental issues. Just browse through his environment category and you’ll find a lot of awesome tidbits. And he’s implemented lots of energy-saving features in his own home. As I told him in a recent tweet, he just got himself 500 Green Points

And if Duane decides to blog about the Eco-Shield, you’ll find a link back to his blog here. Hat tips to Duane for getting an Eco-Shield for his iPhone and for providing me with fertile ground for yet another blog post

EDIT – Rebecca reminded me of her post in her comment below, a post that I actually had read, but overlooked the bit on the Eco-Shield…. oopsies Nevertheless, just look at the Juicy Couture case for the iPhone and you’ll fall in love … And while I’m going back on posts, Tanya had done a review of BodyGuardz too]

Accepting suggestions for my 1000th post

Raul — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:10:28 +0000

I’ve been polishing the presentation for Fraser Valley WordCamp and in the process, I’ve come to realize that I am REALLY close to 1000 posts on WordPress (I lost 132 posts in the importing process, which was kind of awful, but oh well). Since I’m at 922 (this post included), I have been thinking of organizing a MargaritaCamp + NachoCamp + GinCamp to celebrate my 1000 posts.

At my current writing rate, I estimate that’s going to fall somewhere around the week of Blogathon, so I might have a middle of the week RaulCamp (or simply combine it with the Vancouver Bloggers Meetup!) because, after all, it’s all about me (inside joke, you’ll have to see the t-shirt to know what I’m talking about).

So, I’m opening the floor for suggestions for my 1000th post. I was actually thinking of holding it at a wifi-enabled site (like the Blackwater Cafe) or a bar so that we can celebrate the actual moment of pushing the “Publish” button on my WordPress Dashboard. Any interest in joining for said RaulCamp?

I want to convert you… to WordPress!

Raul — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:40:40 +0000

As I’ve posted before, I read pretty much every blog on my blogroll and then some. Thanks to a handy RSS feed reader, now I can do that in the blink of an eye, literally (I speed-read). However, I took some time to see who of my friends are still on Blogger (I am talking to you Barbara, Phaedra, Pat, Jennifer, Marina, Dan, Mitch, Sarah, to mention just a few).

If you’ve been reading my blog at all, you’ll know that I am speaking at WordCamp Fraser Valley, precisely on the topic of how I transitioned from Blogger to WordPress. I am in no way associated with WordPress, they don’t pay me a cent (although I do have friends who are indeed associated with Auttomatic).

The truth is that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing my blog on this platform. So, I’m basically plugging you to switch and since many of you Blogger friends are also my friends, friends, you should come to WCFV and hear me speak like Ulysses listened to the siren’s sweet voice “WoooordPreeeess…. WoooordPreeeess” (ok, that sounds better when I say it than when I read it).

So, join me and a roster of fabulous bloggers (Rebecca, John, Kerry, Kulpreet and yours truly) on July 16th, 2008 from 6-9pm. For more details, click on the link that says “I’m Speaking at WordCamp Fraser Valley“. And in case you didn’t know, the registration is almost full so, you REALLY want to register as in, like, right now.

To Tumblr or not to Tumblr? That is the question…

Raul — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:45:45 +0000

You know when you have these seemingly brilliant ideas and someone has already blogged about them? Yeah, that’s the feeling I have when writing about Tumblr. One of the most recent Web 2.0 (highly praised by my blogofriend Heather Watson), I heard about it for the first time at VIDFEST 2008, precisely from Heather (aka Hez). I then discovered that Jarrett also has a Tumblr. Then Dan mentioned he had a Tumblr too.

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Ryan Nadel, who works in the journalism/film/media industry, at a lovely party hosted by Candice Faktor, of OurFaves.com. This small gathering of good friends proved a great laboratory to have actually good conversations, and Ryan and I engaged on a discussion of Tumblr. Ryan does have a Tumblr account, and (to my surprise I might admit) I have found at least two other friends of mine who do.

Remember – I am not in media, nor journalism, nor public relations, nor tech per-se. I am a specialist in environmental studies who loves blogging. So, for me to hear about Tumblr, it was a bit like “this is the new Twitter or the new Plurk“. It would seem to me as though Tumblr.com would be the place where I could synthesize all my online stuff (portfolio) and go from there. My friend Andy calls his Tumblr “his brain dump“.

My question is – is that the direction in which Web 2.0 is going? I am having a hard enough time with FriendFeed, BrightKite, and all that jazz. Not sure about how to feel about Tumblr. Any thoughts? Do I really want to get yet another Web 2.0 application? Particularly, can I hear some thoughts from those of you who actually have Tumblr.com accounts? Thanks.

Bloggers and geeks as superheroes

Raul — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:30:46 +0000

While having early dinner with Isabella a couple of weeks ago, we were discussing Vancouver Blogger Meetup business and we switched to the topic of metaphors. I have before discussed the distinction I make of bloggers and civilians, because in my mind I see that we as bloggers (and geeks) have a certain power that we ought to harness for the good of humanity (civilians).

While it remains true that I blog primarily for myself and for my own entertainment. I blog sometimes to provide entertainment to others (my friends, on and off the blogosphere, and in general, my readers). But mostly (and I am now more and more convinced after having immersed myself in the blogging for social change and sustainability sub-community), I think that my blog can be a tool for social change. I also believe that I can be an agent of change. That’s one of the things I aspire to do. I told this to Tom at SteakCamp, being able to unleash the power of Web 2.0 and help enhance the reputation of a tiny little East Side restaurant was one of the primary reasons why I answered Buzz’s challenge.

Isabella and I had a really nice and long discussion on our roles as superhero bloggers, and our mission to help the society in which we are immersed. Along the same lines, we all have our superhero weakness, our kryptonite. In my case, the same thing that makes me powerful (my inner drive, my enthusiasm and energy, the speed at which I read, type, learn and understand) is what makes me weak (when I over-extend and push myself beyond my limits). It’s all about the balance, I think. I work hard and play hard.

This is partially a serious reflection and a funny tidbit that should tide me over to the next reflective post about myself. I also would like to follow up on the geek t-shirts and show you the one I found reflects exactly how I see myself as a blogger.

Now, if YOU were to think of yourself as a superhero, who would you be or what would you say is your superpower? Bear in mind that not only bloggers could be superheroes, civilians can also have their secret identity

The CSS customization and going self-hosted “light”

Raul — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:12:40 +0000

My WordPress-ification process has been quite intense, and it’s hard to juggle searching for a job, doing academic work, socializing AND trying to master WordPress. But right now I feel pretty good about it, and wouldn’t go back to the Blogger platform. The last time I posted something on Blogger I was actually kind of weirded out. “WHOA. It’s like I’ve never used this“.

This week (probably Thursday or Friday, as I want to stay away from the computer for a while), I am buying the CSS customization option for WordPress as I want to be able to tinker with the layout and the theme color scheme. Since I’ve been previously known to avoid the WordPress Codex, I figured this time I would follow the rules and go and read the Codex before I ask my friends “how do I go about this…”

Both Rebecca and Andy wrote recently about themes, and Rebecca unveiled her awesome new theme just this week. But to be quite honest, I still had one question in my mind – what IS a theme?

A WordPress Theme is a collection of files that work together to produce a graphical interface with an underlying unifying design for a weblog.[WP Codex-Themes]

Yeah. RIIIIIGHT. The preceding paragraph proceeded to explain what a theme is in WPGeekSpeak. That’s the point where I realized one of the things that I hadn’t done (shame on me) ever – CHECK THE GLOSSARY. So I went to the Codex WordPress lesson semantics. Are themes the same as CSS? I have discovered that no, they’re not. I roamed around the glossary and semantics site for a while, and now I understand that by customizing the CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), I will be able to define colors, layouts, etc. The theme is more overarching, then…

I may request help to customize my CSS, but I also want to learn how to change it myself, because I don’t want to be a fake geek. I like being a true geek, and I like to do my own stunts. I am well aware that asking for help is one of my challenges, but thankfully, being a computer geek is complicated enough that I am always willing to ask someone to give me a hand. So, I hope that soon enough, you’ll see a different color scheme, although it may be a while for a change in theme!