Connected

Practical Computing Ideas, Opinions

and Questions Answered

David's Newspaper Columns  (updated weekly)

Some of my Innovations columns are called "Connected" in print.  So if you can't find what you think is a Connected column here, look in Innovations -- especially if it's about a specific product.

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NCAA says 'no' to blogging

The Internet has blurred lines before, but perhaps never as much as it did during a recent NCAA baseball playoff game between University of Louisville and Oklahoma State.

In this case, Brian Bennett, a reporter for the Louisville Courier-Journal, was ejected from an NCAA baseball playoff game for blogging. In the middle of the game, an NCAA representative approached Mr. Bennett, asked him... <more>

Faster flash memory speeds your photos... if you use it properly

A few weeks ago I told you I bought a fast flash memory card for my camera, and how I expected it to speed up my photo transfers from my camera to my personal computer. I also promised to do speed tests in a real world situation. Today, I report back that there are differences, but the differences may surprise you. <more>

Talk gets cheaper with new services

We've gone from emphasis on the computer to emphasis on the network. Yet the products and services being offered to us seem to be diverging, with many of the devices becoming ubiquitous and other devices serving a group that at first looks like a lunatic fringe.

The first set of products includes the ever-present cell phone. On the other end of the spectrum are the products that seem to be very specialized. The Vonage V-phone and Skype are among them... <more>

Hey, digital camera, take the picture already!

I've been frustrated since day one by the time lapse between pressing the shutter button on my digital camera and when the photo is finally snapped. The delay has caused me to ruin many a picture because it was blurry from moving the camera too soon. My wife actually refuses to use the digital camera most of the time -- in favor of her reliable film camera -- because the chance of a bad photo is so high.

One day, after shopping for... <more>

Office Live an entree to a broad set of tools

When I heard about Microsoft's Office Live, I figured it would be an online version of Microsoft Office, ready to do head-to-head battle with Google's ever-expanding online office suite. But I was wrong -- at least as it stands today.

Instead, Microsoft has put together a suite of online tools that, in some ways, like the Google suite, make it easier to be mobile, but, unlike the Google suite, extend the way a user can take advantage of the traditional Microsoft Office software applications... <more>

Talking on phone while driving has challenges

Windshield time (the time you spend while driving) is difficult time to use -- you can't type out a memo, create an artistic strategy on paper or give yourself a full body workout. It's just too tough -- OK, impossible -- to do. But you can think -- and, in some states, you can talk on your cell phone.

Some people like to use wireless "hands-free" headsets so they can keep their hands on their steering wheel instead of holding their telephones. That's a wise move -- although studies have shown that accidents often are caused by the mere distraction of what you're talking about, not just the lack of hands on the steering wheel. Those studies suggest... <more>

Song sites can have varying lyrics

Yahoo!'s announcement last week that it's posting the lyrics to 400,000 songs on Yahoo! Music should be considered good news by musicians, would-be musicians and those who simply want to sing in their showers... <more>

David's Weekly columns:

• Connected (addressing the impact of tech & tech news on you)
• Worry Watch (about viruses, spyware, ID theft, threats...)
• Innovations (they can change the way you work and live)

• plus, his Feature articles