Mobile Technology Through The Years

I can still remember when my mom asked me, “¿para que necesitas un beeper?” For those of you who don’t read Spanish the translation is, “why do you need a beeper?” Once I explained how she would be able to get a hold of me I won her over. The rest, shall we say is history. 

Here’s a brief run down of the mobile technology I’ve owned through the years. How time flies!

1993

Beep, Beep

It all started with the Motorola Bravo Plus. I bought this with a summer job with the City of South Tucson before my Junior year at Pueblo. Very limited in functions, but did the job. Still remember my mom paging me 911 on the weekends after 11:00 p.m.

1995

I kept using pagers until after high school. Remember I used two more models after that in different colors. The Motorola LS550 was a big upgrade because you could receive very short text messages. Big upgrade from having to stop and make a phone call to find out why they needed you.

Hello Moto

I could not believe the first time I saw someone using a cellular phone. It was big, but all that mattered was that it worked. No more having to stop what you were doing, find a quarter and return the page you just received. I had to convince my parents once again and justify why I would be spending half of my monthly income on this device.

1996

I felt great, when I made my first phone call home. My mom couldn’t believe that I was calling her from Rincon Cleaners around the corner on my drive home. I think I felt liberated, from wires?

You could set up speed dial on 9 of your favorite numbers by holding down a particular key. There was only one or two ringtones and it was heavy to carry on your belt. The battery lasted forever and it would get really hot. So hot, that it was better not to use it for an extended amount of time. It could only get better from here.

1998

I introduce you the Motorola StarTac 75 Flip phone. What an upgrade! I can’t remember exactly what it cost me, but it was expensive at the time. This phone was cool because of it’s size. Battery life was an issue but never a problem. I started giving the personal demonstrations with this phone. You know, when they ask you, “what is that?” You almost feel like you have to show them.

Text Messaging

I had been faithful to Motorola for some time now, but when I saw the controversial commercial for the Nokia 3650 I made the change. This was my first camera and video phone. I also started surfing on WAP network which is a text only version of the web. I still have some videos and pictures from this phone.

2001

A new feature I started using frequently was text messaging or mini-emails in my opinion. With this feature I saw myself making less and less phone calls. Voicemail was also fairly new. No more missed calls. 

The speaker phone option was also new in this model. You could also purchase ringtones from the mobile internet it came with.

I’ve always been a pro Sony consumer. Ask me to recommend a TV, DVD, VCR, car steareo, home stereo, and any other electric device out there, I would recommend a Sony. Only natural to give their mobile phone a shot.

2002

I tried the Sony Ericcson T300 for a couple of months and I hated it. It was sluggish and the cursor square was hard to use. I made a bad decision selling the Nokia 3650 to Rob Girard. I know Sony Ericcson has improved their line of phones, but I promised myself never to buy one again. 

Smart Phones

How do you determine that a phone is smart? I guess it’s determined by how well it keeps you organized and that’s what they did. In a desperate attempt to get rid of the Sony, I bought the Palm Treo 180 on eBay.

2003

The new technology of sim cards and GSM made buying unlocked phones a huge market. You didn’t need to purchase directly from the Cellular Store anymore.

This phone gave me the feeling of having a mini-laptop with me at all times. I started using my contacts, calendar, to-do lists and email more often. Entering data was so easy with a full QWERTY keyboard. The mobile internet was still behind and wasn’t very useful. I liked this device very much so I upgraded to the Palm Treo 600 when it came out. I honestly thought this phone had it all and that it couldn’t possibly get any better.

2004

Huge color touch screen, organization applications and 1 mega pixel camera. I enjoyed everything this phone did, but what I wasn’t paying attention to was how much the data plans were costing me. This is when I first realized that Telecommunication companies are out there to squeeze you dry. I had to take a step back.

Motorola Again

I believe everyone on this planet has owned a Motorola Razr at some point in their lifetime. This phone was hot from day one. A thin, stylish flip phone that fit anywhere. Had a decent camera for both photo and video. Sending MMS was a new thing that was catching on and you could do it easily on this phone. Other than looking up movie times, still no useful internet.

2004

This phone was fun in a way, but was lacking email, calendar and other applications I had come to like on the Palm Treo. I kept the Razr for 2 years using the first 2 models. I almost upgraded to the Crazr featuring a little known application called iTunes in 2006, but instead I went on a total new direction.

Crackberry

My friend, Andy, recommended me the Blackberry Curve. He said that if email is what I wanted, this would be the device for me. He was right. That’s why they call these Crackberry’s! You can’t help but to check who or what emailed you. It’s addicting and annoying at the same time.

2006

Other features included a more useful internet, Google Maps and a media player. You could upload your music and movies for your listening and viewing pleasure. Kept me organized with the calendar and contacts entry. Texting was simple with the QWERTY keyboard. Didn’t know how much I missed it since switching from the Treo. I was very pleased with this phone and once again I thought, could it get any better than this?

Hello World

Rumors started popping up on the internet about this new device called an iPhone by Apple. The following commercial at the Oscars in 2007 gave us the first glimpse at the future in mobile phone technology.

Once again you can blame my tech friend, Andy, for making me switch to the iPhone and I don’t regret switching one bit. It’s not perfect, yet! I believe in Steve.

2007

The first generation iPhone was just as advertised. Internet, email, contacts, calendar and to top it all of a wide-screen iPod. Syncing your content has never been easier. It was an elegant device that fit perfectly in your hand. Touch screen makes navigating the interface quickly and easy. (Unless you have huge fingers)

You can load your favorite music, movies and rentals. Apple also has an App Store where you can purchase useful and some unnecessary applications. iTunes is also available to you on a WiFi area. I can go on and on.

2008

I recently upgraded to the iPhone 3G and I’m very satisfied with this version too. I’m almost afraid to say that it doesn’t get any better than this, does it?

Well, there you have it. A brief history of mobile technology in my pocket/belt. I’m sure I’ll be adding to this chapter. Can’t wait!

Luis Miguel – Complices Tour 2008

Went to see Luis Miguel in concert last night at the AVA Amphitheater in Tucson, AZ with wife and friends. Great place to catch a show, by the way.

Luis Miguel has been one of my favorite artist for quite some time. I had not seen his show since 1999. I was very impressed with the artistry, music and atmosphere of that concert. After attending last night, must say that he has NOT skipped a beat.

LuisMi mixes his new and classic music well. His younger generation of fans get to listen to his new material as he pleases his older fan base by doing compilations of his more recognized hits. I have to admit, he had me singing. The sounds of his orchestra and mariachi really move you. His sound is quite unique and covers a broad range of genres.

The atmosphere is as lively as I remember the first two times I saw his show. It’s the typical hispanic audience that gets caught up in the moment of listening to one of Mexico’s brightest stars. He is known as “El Sol De Mexico” (Sun of Mexico). Nothing rowdy at all! There are people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. He even welcomed the crowd in both Spanish and English. Nice touch. 

His light and sound has always impressed me. Technology in that field has definitely improved the concert experience. Each time I attended a concert, I would compare the sound quality to his. In my opinion he always had the best. The light show and projection screens he uses are the best and most sophisticated I’ve seen. This time around, the center screen was in HD. Wow! Wish I had one of those at home. Same thing goes for the sound. Not to loud and not to low, just perfect. Borderline CD quality.

I recommend his show to anyone with an interest in music. You won’t be disappointed. Here’s a fan site to listen to some of his music free: http://www.luismiguel.net/

Luis Miguel At AVA 9/17/08

Unblock Access To A Website On TUSD

Sometimes we are trying to access a useful website for classroom use and we come to find the dreaded YELLOW screen of Websense.

Fortunately, TUSD has a process that can lead to unblocking the particular site you are trying to access. All you have to do is fill out the online form and submit it. TUSD determines if that site can be unblocked. I’ve submitted several sites and all have been unblocked. Chances are that if it’s something that benefits Teachers or Students, it will be unblocked.

You can only access this form on a work computer. (http://intranet/proxyissues.html)

This is what the form looks like:

Click On Image To Go To Site

Instructions:

1. Contact Name (Required)

This is the person submitting this request. Must be entered as First Name Last Name (With only a space between.) If the last name is hyphenated enter the name without the hyphen. Please no middle initials!

2. Contact Phone (Required)

Phone number where you can be reached. Must be entered as 8 digits. EX: 225-6333

3. Site (Required)

Select the site you work from! If you are at multiple sites use your home site (Where you recieve your paycheck).

4. Grade Level (Optional)

If you are a teacher select the grade you teach, all others use Elementary, Middle or High School.

5. Subject Area (Optional)

This is for the general type of information accessed on this site. Some examples would be Geographical, Sports, or Inappropriate Content ETC.

6. Requested Action (Required)

Select either Block Site or Make Site Available.

7. Specific Reasons (Required)

Explain specifically why the site should be blocked or unblocked. Please give examples of ways the sites content would impact TUSD students.

8. URL (Required)

Enter the complete path to the web site from the browser or websense error message. See example!

9. URL Example

There is an example of an acceptable URL at the bottom of the page. It is also an error message you may receive from websense for a blocked site.

Hope this helps! I know it can be frustrating sometimes.

My Current Phone – iPhone 3G

I’m currently using the iPhone 3G as my handheld device. After having the 1st Generation iPhone from day one, updating to this one was a no brainer. (No I didn’t wait in line) This is by far, the most useful device for my line of work and interests. I’ve had it for 2 months now and here are my thoughts on it so far.

Email
I can check my work and personal email directly on my device. I can also respond, send pictures and files if needed. It’s so simple to setup multiple accounts.

iPod
I’ve always loved music. I have about 2,000 songs and podcast I can listen to on my downtime. I can also connect the iPhone to my car stereo or home system when needed. Being so simple to connect to any sound system has saved me both at work and social gatherings.

Google Maps & GPS
There is no such thing as being lost with this device. Google maps and GPS makes searching for an address or current location a breeze. It also gives you turn-by-turn instructions to any destination.

Applications
When Steve Jobs announced the Apps Store, I knew this feature would be a complete game changer for this device. I admit, some applications available have no use what so ever. They shouldn’t even be allowed. How many flashlight or tip calculators do we need? Anyways, there are about 20 applications that make this device so much better. Some of my favorites: Apple Remote, Air Sharing, NetShare, MySpace, MLB at Bat, & QuickVoice.

Kelly Blue Book iPhone

Mobile Safari
It’s literally the internet in your pocket. It does not support Flash yet, but it’s quite useful for me to have my favorite websites available at any moment. Most websites display just like the desktop version and iPhone specific sites are increasing. (Kelly Blue Book) With 3G now, download speeds are much faster. Speed on the EDGE network was my #1 complaint on the 1st Gen iPhone.

Summary
Overall this device almost has it all. The built-in camera could be improved. Battery life can be an issue for the heavy user, but I haven’t had a problem. Simple features such as cut & paste, video recording & MMS are still missing.  I can’t really complain because all the things this phone does do outweigh what it doesn’t. It’s just a matter of time that these features will be lacking, since Apple is always trying to improve it’s products.

Until something better comes out, I’ll remain an iPhone user. I’m extremely happy with the power of this device. I’m starting a series of how this device has saved me called iPhone To The Rescue.

What Web Browser Should I Use?

 

According to Wikipedia:

A web browser is a software application which enables a user to display and interact with text, images, videos, music and other information typically located on a Web page at a website on the World Wide Web or a local area network.

I’ve been using Apple’s Safari at home since I made the switch to Mac in 2003.  At work I was forced to use Explorer until Firefox came along in 2004.  When Apple announced Safari for Windows in 2007, I immediately switched over.  You might say I’m an Apple Fanboy.

Here are the Top 5 in no particular order.  Most have similar features such as bookmarks, tabs, searching, private browsing and password management.  I’ve attached videos to each browser so you can see the different features each has.

1. Apple Safari

2. Mozilla Firefox

3. Windows Explorer

4. Google Chrome

5. Opera Software

Say Hello To Baby Brody

This is a Laundry Room Exclusive!

Just got the following message from Angel:

Brody Christopher Young was born on August, 30. 8lbs 3oz 19″

What a surprise he was, because if you remember on Thursday (August 28th) I was going along fine. But you called it, that or you jinxed me )

Brody

 

Brody

Congratulations to Angel and her family!  Thanks for sharing!

Embed Video On Microsoft PowerPoint

Embedding is a means of physically inserting a video clip into an application so that it plays within the presentation.

Many educators would like to use multimedia files in their Microsoft PowerPoint presentations. This may seem like a daunting task if you’ve never done it before. However, using the new PowerPoint 2007, accomplishing this couldn’t be easier. Here’s how:

Embedding Video To PowerPoint

We are assuming you already have the video you wish to embed in your presentation somewhere on your desktop or hard drive.

1. Create a folder and label it “Presentation” (you can name it whatever you like).
2. Drag or copy the movie file(s) you plan to use in that folder.  (WMV or AVI work best)
3. Open a PowerPoint Presentation and save it to that same folder.
4. When it’s time to insert movie files to your presentation, select them from this same folder.
5. When you are finished you should have all files you need in one folder.

The actual process of inserting a video clip is really easy.

1. In PowerPoint create a new presentation or open an existing one
2. Choose which slide you want the presentation to be in or add it to an existing slide
3. From the top menu, click on the Insert ribbon. Then choose Movie & Sound – Movie From File.
4. In the popup box, search for your movie file (in the folder you created) and add it.
5. You can resize, move, & pretty much position video where you want on the screen.

If you will be presenting on another computer, you have to make sure you have the movie file in the same folder as your presentation. PowerPoint DOES NOT save the movie file all together.

This is a video of the same step by step instructions from above.

That’s all there is to it.  Pretty simple huh?

Adding YouTube Videos To PowerPoint

Do you have a video on YouTube that you’d like to use as part of your PowerPoint presentation? This is something you can also accomplish. It is a little more advanced, but don’t get scared. With a few extra steps this is also easily accomplished. Check out this video on how to do this (the sound is soft on this video):

HELPFUL TIP: If you are going to embed a YouTube video, you will need to have an internet connection when you are running your slide show.  If you don’t want to depend on an internet connection,  you can convert the YouTube Video with Zamzar’s Online service and then use the instructions above.  Make sure you convert the video to WMV, works the best!  If not, Powerpoint will not recognize it.