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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Getting connected to the Internet will cost you time and money

For the past week, I've been traveling back and forth between home and work to meet various Comcast service techs who have been trying to figure out what's causing a problem with my Internet connection.

So far, I've had four on-site service calls and six phone conversations with various Comcast and Comcast subcontractor representatives -- probably spending more than 10 hours of my time. My children have been hampered from doing their homework (because so much of it involves connecting to the Internet), and my wife is ready to... <more>

 

Sometimes users also have to think outside the box

Think outside the box. We've been proposing that for years to inventors, entrepreneurs and managers so they can come up with unique ideas to solve vexing problems. And they've come through with flying colors.

Thomas Edison had to remove the air inside the light bulb to finally make it work. Dan Bricklin stopped doing plain old math equations to create the spreadsheet. They and other creative thinkers have given us scores of products we use daily.

But the onus of thinking outside the box is not just on the inventors. For us to take best advantage of the products and services they present to us, we also have to think outside the box in the way we use them.

My wife's parents are having trouble with the concept of fuel reward cards, and I would bet there's an entire generation of people who are having the same trouble -- because to understand these cards requires thinking outside the box... <more>

Special note: Dan Bricklin has his own website -- looks like a blog.  I wonder what Edison's would look like.

BlackBerry World Edition has phone, Web, PDA

If you've ever wondered how BlackBerry got nicknamed "Crackberry" (to signify that it is addictive), you need look no farther than the BlackBerry World Edition, a combination cell phone, personal digital assistant and mobile Internet device.

The first time I placed the BlackBerry 8830 World Edition into its leather holster I was appalled by what I thought was poor design of the holster -- because it seemed to press up against the keyboard in a way that was certain to invoke unwanted key presses. But I quickly realized that the holster was set up to automatically turn off the BlackBerry when the device was inserted. Instead of being a detriment, it was an advantage.

That's the way it is with this BlackBerry. Almost every time you find a disadvantage, you learn about a unique design parameter that... <more>

No-receipt exchanges, refunds make patrons return

I have to get out of the house more often. Undoubtedly it will open a new world to me of things I haven't noticed but really should know about -- such as the way some retailers have advanced how they interact with customers.

A weekend shopping trip with my wife opened my eyes to just how many retailers have made great strides over the years making it easier for the customer. In this case, we weren't buying but returning several items to various retailers.

Before we went into Old Navy, my wife... <more>

Cell phones just high-tech security blankets

Changes have taken place around us that most of us don't realize. My wife just pointed one out to me that seems quite subtle, yet extremely important -- the way in which communications technology has affected how people deal with small risks.

Compare these two scenarios:

Scenario 1: A business executive goes on the road for days at a time. In each city, he transacts his business during the day; then retires to his hotel room in the evening, calls his wife and discusses... <more>

Convertible notebook PC light of weight, heavy on ability

Whenever I review a laptop computer, I think about the trade-offs that the designers had to make to ensure that the system is light enough to be truly portable, yet have the guts to make the system worth using.

With the C-120x convertible notebook computer, Gateway engineers have put together a very usable, durable system that can go almost anywhere and has extra touches that make it stand out.

As a convertible notebook, the C-120x is... <more>

New cameras boost narrowing market

Just when it looked as if the digital camera market was starting to narrow, along comes a new line of cameras with the GE label. These cameras are manufactured by General Imaging Co. using the brand licensed from General Electric.

According to company representatives, the products are meant to cover a full range of cameras, with each one representing a higher level of performance than similar cameras at the same price levels. Judging by the review units that I got to examine, they do offer significant features; although there are some inconsistencies... <more>

A tech-heavy back-to-school shopping list

Every year when we think about back-to-school technology, our thoughts might turn to which laptop to buy, or: "Does my child need a programmable calculator?" Those are important issues, but not the whole story. 

Instead of forecasting myself this year, I turned to Cat Schwartz to see which tech products are the current sizzlers. She's been watching the market as the title character at hightechmommy.com and as the gadget director at eBay.

Ms. Schwartz has picked a few of her own back-to-school favorites...<more>

People skills complement tech men and women

According to a study by Robert Half Technology, a staffing firm, 25 percent of chief information officers ranked technical skills as the area in which their staff members could use the most improvement.

In the study, which sampled more than 1,400 tech executives in U.S. companies with 100 or more employees, technical abilities nosed out... <more>

Communication breakdowns can foul commuters' plans

I used to brag to my out-of-town friends about what a great mass transit system we have. I boasted that I could run down to the local light rail train and be Downtown in 20 minutes, ready to work, go to a restaurant or take in a ballgame. But those times have changed. I'm now more embarrassed by the local mass transit. Not because the train and bus schedules have been cut or because the prices have risen, but because... <more>

Convergence goes local with Verizon TV plan

In the midst of a decade-long media storm, the idea of local convergence hasn't had the same growth. It's been limited pretty much to local TV station Web sites and an occasional newspaper video blogs (vlogs).

It's this sparsity of local convergence that makes a recent announcement by Verizon worth a look. The company has launched... <more>

Airlines must work on keeping flying companions together

Confessions of a former road warrior: Years ago I traveled so much that my soon-to-be wife would brag to her friends that I rode on planes the way most commuters take a bus. But in recent years, I've been lucky enough to spend most of my time near home -- avoiding air travel.

On my now infrequent plane trips, I notice new technologies and the way they are presented. Still with all the new technology, one fact keeps standing out... <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