Notebooks.com » news

Ubuntu 10.04 in Beta, Stable Release in April

Kevin Purcell — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:39:04 +0000

Ubuntu is Linux for the rest of us. It is simple to install and use. Despite that, not that many users are on board with estimates of 1-2% of all computer users running various Linux operating systems. But with the release of Ubuntu 10.04, there might be a few reasons to give it a try. It is currently in beta, so you may not want to install it on your primary computer.

The stable release will come on April 29 according to the Ubuntu web site. You can download a live DVD image to give it a try. A live disc is one that lets you boot up the OS and run it as if it were installed on your computer. It is a great way to try it out without installing it alongside or instead of whatever OS you have installed on your PC presently. Download the image file, burn it to a DVD, and then boot the computer with the disc. A second option is to create a bootable USB drive.

Some of the biggest changes are …

The latest version of the Gnome Desktop interface
The latest Linux kernel
Faster boot process due to removal of HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer)
New driver for nVidia graphics cards which claims will enable faster bug fixes in the future and easier configuration
Integration with popular social media sites built in
New desktop themes
File syncing
Ubuntu One Music Store
Reportedly will support plug-and-play of iPhones and iPods so you can play your music
A netbook version based on Kubuntu using KDE instead of Gnome that offers a new, consumer-friendly interface with quick access to most used applications

Ustream: How to get Started, Ustreaming Your Way to Fame

Kevin Purcell — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 08:39:29 +0000

It seems everyone has a podcast or Internet video show. You can find everything from the latest tech news (Leo LePorte’s Twit Live channel) to live shots of a hummingbird nest. Why not you? We’ll show you the basic steps to setting up your own Ustream video show. While we focus on Ustream.tv, one of the most popular of these kinds of video sites, the basic principles can work on others like Justin.tv. Ustream.tv is focused on sharing live videos, while many popular video sites like Vimeo and YouTube are designed for recorded videos you’ve created, edited and uploaded after the moment has passed.

Reasons for Streaming

Why would you do this? I am a minister and our church uses Ustream to broadcast our worship services for people who cannot come to church on Sunday. We also save the broadcasts for others to watch later. You might want to broadcast live performances, lectures, events, or just host your own show on a subject near to your heart.

What you will need is a computer connected to the Internet, a web cam or video camera, and a reason to broadcast. The last one is the most important. There are hundreds of silly, boring shows up on the Internet. Take a look at what is already out there and find a niche to fill. It should be something you are very interested in already, like your hobbies or career. You may have an expertise that will benefit others.

Getting Started

To get started, head over to Ustream and sign up for an account. During the sign up process you can also provide credentials to Facebook so your friends will know when you are broadcasting. You can use your Google, Yahoo, or OpenID to login instead of setting up a brand new login. Once signed in, provide any of the personal details that you wish to share on the “My Details” tab.

The other tabs have settings you will want to configure – things like allowing comments, connecting with other web sites like Twitter, Yahoo, and Facebook, and managing your followers on Ustream as well as other shows you wish to follow. The most important thing to do next, after configuring all the settings on the various tabs, is click on the “Your Shows” tab to set up your show. You can have multiple shows under one account. I have one for our church and a personal show that our family will use to stream family events for my extended family in the Midwest and California. That way they can see my sons opening gifts or playing sports. This is a great way to connect despite being so far away.

In the “Your Shows” tab there is a place to “Create New Show”. For this article I created a new show called Notebooks.com Tutorial. Once you click “Create”, enter all the info in the fields in the center of the screen. It is important that you fill in this information as this is how people will find you on Ustream. You may also want to create a logo and upload it here.

Next to this form is a list of links for sharing your show. You can embed it on your own web site or send it via email, Twitter or Facebook. The more you publicize the show the more successful it will become.

Getting Hardware Setup

Now you are set up and almost ready to go. The next thing we have to do is make sure your hardware is working. You will need a computer connected to the Internet and a webcam or video camera. Your Internet connection doesn’t have to be the fastest fiber optic connection that money can by, but dial-up is unlikely to work. Most broadband connections will suffice. Our church has a computer in the auditorium connected to our cable Internet connection via Wi-Fi. It is not the best connection since the signal travels over 120 feet and through two very thick, brick walls. Yet it we have no problem streaming live.

The camera is also important. If your notebook computer doesn’t have a webcam built in, you will want to get one. Obviously the better the quality, the better the picture. Another option is a video camera. But not just any camera will work. We have a Panasonic camera connected via firewire and it gives us a very good picture. The key is that your camera must be recognized by your computer. In Windows right click on “My Computer” and select “Manage”. Choose “Device Manager” and see if is listed under “Imaging Devices”. If you use OSX, Ustream says “click the Apple icon in the top left of the screen, click ‘About this Mac’, click ‘More Info’, click on USB and see if ‘iSight Camera’ is listed.” (Source: Ustream Help)

Once you are connected, you should be able to broadcast. Go back to the Ustream Dashboard and click on the “Your Shows” tab and choose “Broadcast Now”. Or just click the big green “Broadcast Now” button at the top of the page. If you have more than one show it will ask you which one to broadcast. A new window will popup and ask permission for Flash to access your camera and microphone. Click “Allow”. You will see a window like the one below.

If everything is working, you should see the image from the camera in the window and the VU Meter below the image will show sound with the dots turning green. If they are yellow, it means the sound is getting loud and red means it is probably too loud. Adjust the volume using the slider below the meter. If you do not see what your camera is pointed at, you will need to tell Ustream which video source to use in the drop down box to the right of the meter. Make sure that both Video and Audio Broadcast is checked on the left. Adjust the video quality with the sliders at the right. If you do not hear anything, again select the audio source and make sure Audio Broadcast is checked. Adjust the volume slider and the Audio Quality slider. If everything looks and sounds as it should, then click the big, green Start Broadcast button. Your video and audio sources should now be broadcasting live over the Internet. Test it by opening another browser window and go the your show’s Internet URL. Beware as you might get some feedback as the audio will look from the second window back through your mic. You can mute the second window to stop this from happening.

Sharing With Your Audience

If you want your show to be available after you are finished broadcasting live, click the large, green Start Record button. If you do this, once you finish you will be asked to name the show and be given links to share it with others. They will also be listed under the “Your Videos” tab on the Dashboard page of Ustream.

You will want to tell others that you are on “the air” by entering in the box at the top of the screen what you are broadcasting and clicking on either little buttons for each social networking site, or the blue “Update” button to send it out to all that you have already connected to your show.

A Quality Show

In the upper, center of the popup window there is a button that says “Get Higher Quality”. This takes you to a page that shows you how to set up a higher quality video feed. To do this you have to install the Flash Media Live Encoder and the Ustream High Quality Encoder.

To make sure your show is of sufficient quality, besides having a good camera, sufficient Internet connection, and a computer with decent performance, you will also want to make sure that there is not a lot of extraneous noise. If possible broadcast from a closed room where others will not be interrupting. Also be sure there is plenty of bright light. Finally, you won’t want a lot of distracting background paraphernalia. As with any photography, a background that is in contrast with the subject is best. You don’t want to be washed out and lost in the wall or curtain behind you. And be sure there is no back light aiming directly into the lens of the camera. For a simple setup having a light aimed at the front of your face or off to one side. You can get more advanced with lighting if you want to do a professional quality show. That is something the below video is definitely not. I was having problems with the integrated mic in my HP Pavilion notebook. But at least it gives you an idea of what kind of quality you can expect even using very base level quality equipment.

This should get your show on the Internet. If you hit a snag, a quick look at the Ustream Help Center will likely get you going. If you can’t find help there you have two other options. The Ustream forums have willing and knowledgeable helpers ready to answer your questions. The Live Help channel is a good place to go as well. There you will find live streaming video with help along with a chat room where you can ask questions.

Streaming on the Go

If you want to stream video on the Internet, you don’t just have to rely on a laptop or desktop computer. Ustream has a mobile streaming app for the iPhone, Android devices, and many Nokia devices. All three have an app for broadcasting on the go. If all you want to do is view Ustream shows, then you can use the viewer app on your iPhone or Android device. Finally, the Ustream recorder is only for the iPhone and all it does is record video to later upload to Ustream, YouTube, Twitter or Facebook.

Below is an example of a short video I shot using my iPhone over 3G.

Plastiki Sets Sail on Green, High Tech Voyage

Xavier — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 01:30:38 +0000

A boat made of 12,000 bottles is sailing today from San Francisco to Sydney to . The Plastiki is a boat designed to raise awareness of environmental issues, including the massive amount of plastic bottles that are dumped in the world’s oceans. The Plastiki crew is using a number of high tech tools while on the trip and to help educate others. A crew of six sailors are on board the 60-ft catamaran for the three month trip.

All of the boats panels are made of PET, the same material used to make plastic bottles. I visited with the Plastiki crew a couple of times and it was interesting to hear about how they came up with environmentally-friendly ways to build the catamaran. Rather than using poisonous adhesives, resins and finishes, the Plastiki builders used natural and recyclable materials, such as an adhesive made of cashew nuts and sugar.

HP is a major sponsor of the Plastiki and is providing several devices, including an Elitebook 2530p and Probook 5310 that will be used to for charts, checking weather and logs. Each crew member will be carrying an iPaq 900. The crew will also able blogging about their experiences, sending updates to Twitter, photos to Flickr and communicating with Mission Control.

The crew will be able to place phone calls and access the Internet during the entire trip thanks to inmarsat. Inmarsat provides worldwide satellite voice and Internet services to people and organizations that roam far beyond the reach of mobile networks. The Plastiki has an inmarsat transceiver mounted on the rear mast, which is also home to a vertical garden that provides fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Plastiki and its crew will generate all the power necessary to charge and run all of their gadgets. At the heart of the Plastiki’s electrical system are six large 12-volt batteries, like the kind found in automobiles. Two turbine mounted on the hull of the boat will generate electricity as water spins it. Another turbine mounted on the deck will use wind to generate electricity. There are solar panels on the cabin’s roof to generate electricity during the daytime. There are also a couple of bicycles on board so the crew can exercise and generate additional energy. A person pedaling hard produces just enough energy to keep a notebook PC running. There is an emergency bio-diesel engine, but the crew hopes not to have to use it.

Those who’d like to learn more about the Platiki, track their voyage across the Pacific or how plastic impacts the environment can visit ThePlastiki.com. Those who are in the San Francisco Bary Area can visit Plastiki Mission Control at Fisherman’s Wharf. HP’s donated several Touchsmart PCs, which allow visitors to learn more about how the Plastiki was built and what can be done to keep plastic out of the world’s oceans.

The New Yorker put together a video that shows more details of how the boat is constructed.

Gateway EC14D Ultraportable with DVD drive available in Canada

Rajesh — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:24:35 +0000

Gateway has announced that the Gateway EC14D ultraportable with a DVD drive is now available in Canada. The newly announced notebook is almost exactly like the US version (EC14D07u) weighing just 3.5 lbs and shipping with a battery that can last up to 6 hours on a single charge. What makes this notebook different with other notebook is that it comes with 11.6 inch display and integrated DVD drive, which rarely found on such compact notebook. This will be Gateway’s first ultra portable notebook with built in DVD drive for Canada.

In addition to integrated DVD drive this notebook comes with a Dual Core Intel Pentium ULV processor, Windows 7 Home Premium, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB SATA hard disk, Webcam and microphone. This sleek and stylish notebook is designed for mobile enthusiasts who love portability. This notebook is available with 6 cell battery and support multi double-layer DVD.

In a press release product manager for Gateway Canada Chris Chiang said that:

“Customers understand how convenient it is to have a notebook PC that is portable enough to take nearly anywhere to stay connected and have fun – and the new EC14D01h brings a new element of entertainment to customers with the ability to watch DVD movies, play games on CD and DVD and more” He also added that “The integrated DVD drive in such a compact device will be a huge benefit for customers who want the flexibility to enjoy and share different movies, music, photos and more stored on a DVD or CD.”

This EC14D01h notebook will be available later this month and will be selling at retail price of $579.00 (CAD).

Gateway EC14D01h Specifications:

Brand	Gateway
Model	EC14D01h
Processor	Intel Pentium ULV Processor SU4100
Processor Speed	1.3GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 800MHz FSB
Display Size	11.6 inch HD Widescreen Ultra bright LED-backlit TFT LCD
Resolution	1366 x 768 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
Chipset	Mobile IntelGS45 Express Chipset
Graphics Card	Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Memory	4GB DDR2 Dual-Channel 667MHz memory
Max. Memory Support	8 GB
Hard Drive	320GB 5400RPM SATA hard drive
Optical drive	Integrated 8X Super-Multi DVD player
Webcam	Integrated webcam
Card Reader	Multi-in-1 digital media card reader
Wireless	802.11b/g/Draft-N WiFi
Port	3 USB 2.0, HDMI, S/PDIF
Battery	Standard 6-cell Li-ion (5600 mAh) Battery
Battery life	Up to 6 hours
Weight	3.55 lbs.
Dimension	11.49” (W) x 1.12” to 1.18” (H) x 8.33” (D)

Source: BusinessWire

Kindle App Coming to iPad Confirmed

Kevin Purcell — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:18:52 +0000

Amazon released the Mac version of its Kindle book reader as Warner Crocker reported on our sister site GottaBeMobile.com. But in the press release they also confirmed that they are planning to release an app for the iPad.

Kindle books can now be read on the Kindle, Kindle DX, iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, PC and Mac, and soon the iPad.

If you want to know how the Kindle is on the Mac, check out Xavier’s Kindle for the Mac review.

This gives Apple more reason to get those content deals made soon.

Apple Still Negotiating Content Deals for the iPad Launch

Kevin Purcell — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:00:36 +0000

After a successful first day of pre-orders and brisk traffic since, there is even more pressure for Apple to produce a quality product in the iPad. One of the main reasons many have ordered is to read ebooks or watch videos. This has left many users wondering, “Will these be available on the device April 3rd?” According to Wall Street Journal, Apple is working hard to make that happen.

Apple already has deals with many book publishers, but it’s not just books they want. The Journal also reports that a cheaper price for TV shows is part of some last minute negotiating. However, the report says that “… nailing down the content has proven difficult as some potential collaborators weigh the advantages of working with Apple against the potential threats to their current sources of revenue, these people add.”

Apple will want to make these deals knowing that even though they control the content on the iPad, they have to compete with the Amazon Kindle app as well as the Barnes and Noble app right on their own device, not to mention the Kindle and Nook ebook readers and upcoming slates. As far as video goes users will be able to purchase standard iTunes content and watch it on the iPad, but it would be a big PR win for Steve Jobs and Apple if the company can announce cheaper TV shows or a subscription service on April 3rd. And that, would drive more iPad sales.

Skype Access – Pay as You Go Hotspots and Free Wifi this weekend

Josh Smith — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:53:23 +0000

Skype just launched a new feature for all Skype users called Skype Access that allows you to use your Skype Credit and connect to over100,000 hotspots at many major airports. I’ll tell you a little bit more about Skype Access, but first I wanted to let you know that Skype is giving away free access at all Skype Access locations this weekend March 20 and 21st with a special Monday extension in the UK.

The reason I am so excited about Skype Access is that it is a great way to connect to a hotspot without pulling out your credit card or paying for a block of time you may not need. You just pay for what you use at 19 cents a minute. For extended surfing this may not beat the airport rate, but if you just need a quick connection its great deal.

The connection isn’t just for making a Skype call or chat, it’s a full internet connection so you can check your email, watch YouTube, write a blog post, whatever you want.

All need to use Skype Access is the latest version of Skype for Windows or Mac and when you connect to Skype Access compatible hotspot you’ll receive a prompt asking if you want to pay with Skype Credit. Simple as that.

New features added to iWork.com beta– in time for the iPad

Amy — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:00:22 +0000

With Apple iPad sales doing well and overall Apple sales looking even better, it was time to Apple to take a break from hardware and focus on some of their software products, specifically, the iWork.com beta currently available.

For those not familiar, iWork.com is Apple’s online site for their iWork suite of products. From the site:

iWork.com* makes it easy to share your work online with anyone you want. With this web-based, public beta service, you can share iWork files in a way that’s simple, smart, and secure.

So, users of iWork can share all of their Pages, Numbers, and Keynote documents over an online web site to allow for sharing, collaboration and comments on their documents. Its a way to increase group productivity.

While the service is still in beta, Apple is already making improvements to its feature set to accomidate the new iPad and well as iPhone and iPod touch users. An email was sent to the user base with the following new information:

- Share documents on websites and social networks. iWork.com allows you to share a document by creating a public link. Use the link to share your document with large groups or on websites and social networks. There’s no need to set a password or send an invitation. Anyone with the public link can view your document but cannot add comments or notes.

- Improved Shared Documents page. Download documents shared on iWork.com without leaving the Shared Documents page. You can also track the number of views your publicly shared documents receive.

- Refined user interface. A redesigned Sign In and Shared Documents page for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch makes it easy to access your documents while on the go. The new interface and improved scrolling help you find your shared documents faster. Visit www.iwork.com from your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch to view your shared documents.

The iWork.com beta is a free service for now, but Apple is planning on charging a fee sometime soon.

NaviComputer – Free GPS Mapping/Navigation App for Windows Mobile

Rajesh — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:00:02 +0000

NaviComputer, a GPS map and off-road navigation tracking application designed for windows mobile devices, has just released their latest version of the app, 0.92, for public download. What makes the NaviComputer application different from other GPS options is that it will let you view maps offline without need for internet connection or data plan; a very handy feature for going off-road or using without a monthly data plan.

NaviComputer can also allow you to track your movement, display information such as distance traveled, elevation profile and speed.

Here are some notable features of NaviComputer

Offline map navigation without internet connection / dataplan
Finger friendly and fluid user interface
Easy map download from online mapsources like OpenStreetMap
Conform to the common gpx file format (import and export)
Track recording with stats like distance, avg. speed and elevation profile
Multilingual user interface (English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch)
Can download zoom level maps

How to download: If you have internet connection on your Windows Mobile device you can download it directly to your device otherwise you can download it to your pc for installation. NaviComputer comes with two applications, NaviMapper and Navicomputer apps. NaviMapper is installed on your pc to download maps to your pc and Navicomputer resides on your mobile device to download maps through a data connection. Once the map is downloaded they can be transferred or stored on your PC or mobile device.

How to Install: After downloading the NaviComputer file to your PC. Execute the file marked as ‘Setup’. This will install the NaviMapper to your pc. If you have ActiveSync installed in your machine and its running and your device is connected, NaviComputer will be automatically installed in your device. Otherwise, you can install it manually from cab file in the NaviComputer program folder.

Please note that you should fulfill following requirements for NaviComputer:
PC:
Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7
.NET framework 3.5 or later

Device:
.NETcompactframework 3.5
Windows mobile 6.1 or 6.5 operating system
WVGA, VGA, QWVGA or QVGA Touch display
GPS receiver (internal or external)

NaviComputer is free to use and download. Please visit NaviComputer site for more information or to download NaviComputer. See our earlier tutorial on Windows mobile ‘How to track your lost / stolen phone free’.

See some additional photos of Navicomputer application below.

PhotoCredit: NaviComputer

Review: Amazon Kindle for Mac

Xavier — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:09:10 +0000

Amazon just released Kindle for Mac, an application that allows Amazon customers to read more than 450,000 books on their MacBooks. Anyone with a U.S. Amazon.com account can sample and buy books with kindle for Mac, even if they don’t own an Amazon Kindle. This application is technically in beta despite being released to the general public.

Kindle for Mac is a free application and is clearly geared for those who already own a Kindle. Kindle for Mac automatically syncs with users’ other devices so they can pick up on the last page they were reading before switching devices. Books purchased on a Kindle or other devices are available to read at no additional charge.

When launching Kindle for Mac, users are greeted with a catalog of purchased books and downloaded samples. Browsing for books to purchase is done through your Mac’s web browser, not in the application itself. Amazon’s online book catalog is fairly easy to navigate and you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding something interesting to read considering the virtual library has far more titles than your neighborhood bookstore.

Clicking on a title in the Kindle for Mac catalog opens the virtual book, beneath a menu bar. Here, the user can bookmark a page, jump to a page or adjust the size of the font and the number of words per line. I found it most comfortable to read the included sample book D-Day with the words per line slider set to mid-point. It was very difficult for me to read with this setting maxed out, which stretched the text out nearly the entire width of my MacBook Pro’s 15″ display.

There are three ways for MacBook users to turn pages. You can simply left-click on the arrows to the left and right of the pages, swipe side-to-side with two fingers on the trackpad, or swipe up and down. Unfortunately, Kindle for Mac doesn’t recognize other gestures, such as pinch and zoom to decrease and increase font size.

Reading Kindle Books on a bright MacBook Pro display isn’t as comfortable as using an actual Kindle. This is mostly due to the fact that staring at a bright white display and focusing on text for a long time can strain your eyes. Reading on a Kindle feels a lot more like reading a real book and is probably better for your eyes.

Doing more than simply reading a Kindle Book on your Mac can be a challenge. Users can also view notes and highlights that you jotted down on book pages using their Kindles. Unfortunately, you can’t create new notes or highlight text using Kindle for Mac. There’s no search feature, which means you’ll have to wade through page after page to find what you’re looking for, just like with a paperback.

Another feature missing from Kindle for Mac is text to speech. On a Kindle, you can have your books read to you (unless a publisher’s specifically disabled that feature their books), but this isn’t possible on a MacBook, even though OSX has a perfectly capable text-to-speech feature. The problem is that Amazon’s DRM prevents users form selecting text, which is the first step in getting your MacBook to read aloud. While I can certainly appreciate the fact that Amazon and its publishers don’t want people to pirate their books, this can make it more tedious for students to pull quotes into reports or take notes.

As I mentioned before, Kindle for Mac is free, but the best thing about the Kindle store is that there are countless free books in just about every genre. For a full list of free Kindle books, all you have to do is visit this Amazon.com page. If you want to narrow things down you can select your favorite genre from the left side of the Kindle Store page and then select ‘Price: Lowest to Highest’ from the drop menu in the top-right of the page.

Having Kindle for Mac is going to be a plus for Kindle owners that want to view their Kindle Books on a larger screen. It’ll also provide free, legal access to thousands of books for those without a Kindle. However, there’s definitely room for improvement and I hope Amazon provides a more functional version of Kindle for Mac in the near future.