Japan's Banking Crisis

Following the problems in the sub-prime lending market in America and the run on Northern Rock in the UK, uncertainty has now hit Japan. In the last 7 days Origami Bank has folded, Sumo Bank has gone belly up and Bonsai Bank announced plans to cut some of its branches. Yesterday, it was announced that Karaoke Bank is up for sale and will likely go for a song while today shares in Kamikaze Bank were suspended after they nose-dived. While Samurai Bank are soldiering on following sharp cutbacks, Ninja Bank are reported to have taken a hit, but they remain in the black. Furthermore, 500 staff at Karate Bank got the chop and analysts report that there is something fishy going on at Sushi Bank where it is feared that staff may get a raw deal. But Samsung Bank plans on pocketing its profits.

XM/Sirius Merger Sucks Seriously

When I first learned of the impending merger of Sirius and XM satellite radio companies, I feared that my investment in equipment and subscriptions would be adversely affected. Accordingly, I contacted both companies and was assured that the functionality of my equipment would be protected. I was also assured that the prices would not increase because of a monopoly and that I would experience greater programming benefits from the merger.

I more or less dismissed it as a non-issue and continued to pay for dual subscriptions. My car has Sirius and so does our bedroom. My wife's car has XM and so does my office. That involves four radios and two subscriptions with two reduced rate secondary subscriptions.

This morning I received an email announcing that I could now get the best of Sirius on XM. The best of Sirius was described as Howard Stern, NFL, Martha Steward, NASCAR, and Playboy Radio. Let me assure you that I would never in a million years waste my time listening to any of the "best of Sirius."

Curious, I called XM to see how the merger had actually affected me. What I learned is that while the merger had transpired successfully, XM and Sirius virtually remain two separate companies because of conflicting technology. That means that I must continue to maintain separate subscriptions to support my radios instead of being able to merge my accounts into a single account, which I had been promised would happen. There is no programming advance and no merging of content other than the so-called "best of Sirius," which, as far as I'm concerned is a joke.

Nice going FCC. You really protected the consumer's interest by creating this monopoly. I can't wait for the price gouging to begin. This will probably soon be followed by discontinuing one form of technology creating the obsolescence of one platform over the other without compensation. Keep up the good work FCC.

FCC has created a monopoly with the merger of XM and Sirius. As a result, I must continue to maintain separate Sirius and XM accounts instead of merging them into a single account. There is absolutely no benefit whatsoever for the consumer as a result of this ill-advised merger.

If you also feel that there is cause for concern, I suggest that you visit ConsumerAffairs.com where you can voice your complaint and experience. https://www.consumeraffairs.com/CA/do_datarpt.php

Palringo adds location feature

LONDON–Oct. 21, 2008—Palringo, one of the most popular instant messaging applications for mobile phones, has added live location information to the latest version of its application—Palringo Local.

Accurate to the suburb or even street level in a city, and to the closest named town in rural areas, Palringo users can opt to display their location alongside their status, for fun, personal, social, business or any other purpose.

Palringo Local goes live today for Microsoft® Windows Mobile® users, and will be delivered as an automatic update for existing users. Roll-out will follow for other popular mobile device operating systems—including Symbian OS™-based phones, Java™, BlackBerry® and iPhone™—completing before the end of 2008. Palringo Local for desktop/laptop editions of the Microsoft Windows® operating system also goes live from today and will be automatically updated.

Palringo enables vocal instant messaging and picture messaging, as well as text-based instant messaging. Knowing the location of contacts adds further richness to the experience and brings benefits in all sorts of scenarios. For example, it may help simply when meeting a friend, or in more sophisticated ways such as assessing whether a conversation will be cheaper to conduct via Palringo than by phone, if to call someone will clearly cause them to incur roaming charges. Palringo is extremely cost-effective to use.

Kerry Ritz, Palringo’s CEO, said: “Since the dawn of the mobile phone era, we’ve all listened into or been part of mobile phone conversations in which the two parties have asked each other where they are—or, with SMS, spent a message establishing those facts. Now, people won’t need to do that; provided someone wishes to ‘show,’ the basic instinct to ‘know,’ even if it doesn’t matter, is satisfied.

“But there are also quite practical reasons for showing your location: if you’re part of a group all meeting in one place, like a sports team; or you want to know where your delivery drivers are without investing in expensive systems. Whatever your reason to show your location, now you can,” he explained.

Anyone using Palringo Local must specifically opt in to display their location; users can opt in and out at will. Even opted in, users retain control over which contacts can see their location. Location may also be set manually.

The popular instant messaging services with which Palringo integrates are: AOL® Instant Messenger®, Google Talk™, Yahoo!® Messenger®, Gadu-Gadu, ICQ®, Jabber® and Windows Live.  People can also use Palringo to contact their friends using iChat®, Apple’s IM application.

Palringo is free to download from www.palringo.com. There are no subscriptions or other hidden charges.

To calculate location, Palringo Local uses a proprietary algorithm that picks up GSM cell site (2G, 3G, etc.) locations, Wi-Fi access points and other identifying signals. There is an element of triangulation in the calculations, but the algorithm makes a significant level of adjustment to identify the location accurately. The algorithm also ‘learns’ over time, through the addition of new location data that is added to the database.

Beach Buoy

If you worry about protecting any of your valuable electronic gadgets such as phones, PDAs, cameras, MP3 players and such from water while swimming, kayaking, fishing, or hottubbing, Beach Buoy is the solution.

Beach Buoy is a waterproof case that hangs around your neck. You can see through it on both sides so that you can still push the buttons and use the device even underwater.

It is guaranteed to a depth of up to six meters. With a quadruple ziplock seals folded over three times, it proves to be absolutely safe for even your most valuable devices. I have been a little reticent to try it with an MP3 player and snaking the ear bud cable out from the inside to see if it would still work. Instead I hooked up via Bluetooth so that no cables were involved.

The cost is $19.95, which seems cheap insurance to protect your valuable devices. It tickled me when it arrived and I found a colorful, inflatable beach ball in the package along with several bags of English tea. You see, Proporta is an English company, but don’t let that bother you. They ship inexpensively and promptly. Last I heard, they will ship anywhere for only $4.95 U.S.

Check it out at www.proporta.com, and while you’re there, take a look at the amazing array of accessories for digital devices.

Treo 800w Update

If you have a Treo 800w and have experienced charging and syncing problems, you will want to take advantage of this update.
The Treo 800w USB and battery charging software update is designed to address the following:
USB: If your device fails to detect any of the in-box USB accessories such as the power adapter, headset or sync cable, this update will resolve most of the detection issues.
Battery charging: When plugged into the charger, the device may not charge a completely discharged battery. This scenario is most likely to happen if you leave a dead battery for a few days before trying to charge it in the device.
This update is highly recommended for all Treo 800w devices.
System Requirements

• Sprint Treo 800w smartphone
• 1 MB free memory on device
• You understand and agree that by downloading or otherwise installing this update, you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions available at Palm End User License Agreement.

Download & install

1. When you click on the download link (below), installation will begin. But first, read these instructions and make sure you understand them.
2. Plug your Treo 800w into a power source.
3. When you click on the download link (below), you'll see a screen that has a checkbox for "Open file after download." Make sure this box is checked, or the update will not be installed.
4. Tap on Yes.
5. The update will proceed to be downloaded and installed on your device.
6. After the installer finishes, it will prompt you to reset your device. Select OK to reset your smartphone and complete the installation.

http://www.palm.com/us/support/mobile/downloads/800wusb.html
0.1MB cab file

Sandisk Sansa Clip MP3 Player

Having just written an article about downloading free eAudiobooks from public libraries, I tried a number of devices for this purpose. The most important attribute is that the player has the ability to bookmark so that you can continue where you left off when listening to eAudiobooks. If your player does not have this feature, listening to audiobooks become a cumbersome chore as you have to fast forward manually.

Unfortunately, Windows Mobile devices equipped with Microsoft’s Media Player do not have the ability to bookmark. However, there are several third party applications that will allow you to bookmark on a WM device.

I tested quite a few MP3 players that would player audiobooks just fine, but without bookmarking capabilities. Make certain that you find an MP3 player that offers this feature. One of my favorites is the Sandisk Sansa Clip MP3 player. The earlier versions of the Clip do not bookmark. But, it is a simple matter of updating the firmware with a download from the Sandisk Website to overcome this problem. You can even download a utility that automatically updates your device everytime you sync it. The latest release of the Clip has bookmarking capability built-in.

The Clip measures approximately 2 1/8 x 1 3/8 x 3/8 inches and weighs a mere ounce. It’s name is derived from the detachable clip on the back that allows you to attach easily to your clothing. We’ve all seen elaborate attachment systems that are ugly and awkward. The Clip is a great solution for this universal problem.

It comes in a variety of colors for the fashion conscious including silver, black, blue, pink, and red. It ranges in memory from 1 GB to 4 GB and ranges in price from $39.95 to $79.39 according to memory. It will accommodate from 500 to 2000 songs. Unfortunately, it does not have an expansion slot so that you are restricted to the onboard memory.

This MP3 player has a number of other welcome features. It plays MP3, WMA, and WMA file formats. It is also an FM radio tuner with 40 presets. It has an internal rechargeable battery that gives up to 15 hours of service. The Clip is also a voice recorder with a built-in microphone so that it makes a nice little memo taker. Sorry, you cannot view photos or watch videos on the diminutive Clip.

It requires Windows XP SP2 or Vista operating systems and connects via a USB mini-port cable, which I appreciate because it means that you have to pack fewer cables when you are on the road. I wish that mini-USB connectors were universal. No goofy proprietary connectors allowed!

In the box, you get the player, a detachable clip, a USB cable, earphones, quick start guide, and an installation CD with user guide.

The Clip is one of the smallest MP3 players available. It’s array of color choices make it attractive choice and a good value for money with its convenient clip attachment system. My only wish would be that it have an expansion slot.

It is available at many electronic retailers online and off. Or, you can buy it directly from Sandisk at www.sandisk.com.

Free eBooks & Audiobooks @ Your Library

My first article in the realm of digital technology was about eBooks. It was full of enthusiasm and optimism. A lot has happened in the fledgling eBook industry over the past few years with major players in and out. While eBooks did not take off in the revolutionary explosion many predicted, there has been a steady evolution. Just as TV never replaced radio, it is not likely that eBooks will completely replace treeBooks, but eBooks are now and forever firmly entrenched in our digital culture.

Another, related consideration is that the use of computers for doing research and accessing information has caused less interest in libraries and treeBooks as a resource for information. Consequently, libraries have been busy reinventing themselves to remain relevant in a digital world.

A couple of years ago I attended a conference composed mostly of librarians on the subject of the digital native. A digital native is a person who has grown up in the digital age and takes the associated technology for granted. A digital native normally has little use for a library, has no idea what a card catalog is, and would probably rather play a video game than read a treebook for entertainment. The concern of the workshop was how can libraries reach out to the digital native and remain relevant in the community.

One of the ways libraries have retooled their relevancy is by offering digital products. But it’s not enough to offer CDs with music, books, and movies. Once the copy is checked out, it is no longer available. And, just like treeBooks, they can also become lost and damaged

A much better solution is one offered by services such as NetLibrary that libraries can subscribe to that allows patrons to download eBooks and eAudiobooks. This means that if you have a library card and a NetLibrary account, you can download thousands of titles on your computer from any remote location without even having to go into the library. Suddenly, even the smallest library can offer thousands of electronic titles to its patrons. However, the NetLibrary system is flawed in only allowing one person to view a book at a time, which misses the whole point of electronic technology.

Check out time is 21 days after which the license expires and you can no longer access it. You don’t have to worry about returning it or paying past due fines. If you want to renew it, you simply get a new license for another 21 days. Pretty slick, eh?

If your library uses WorldCat for its electronic catalog, both eBooks and eAudiobooks are integrated and clearly indicated as electronic media available for download directly from the catalog listing.

I like to take road trips, and one of my greatest delights is listening to a good audiobook to make the time pass pleasantly. I used to stock up on books on tape, then CD’s. But when I finished them, I usually had to package them up and return them to my library, which was a costly bother. Now, when I am finished listening to an audiobook, I merely delete it and download another one no matter where I am at the time.

To take advantage of this program, you should check to see if your library subscribes to NetLibrary. With a NetLibrary account, you can use your library Website as a portal into the NetLibrary site. Then it is simply a matter of navigating to the download page and choosing whether you want to acquire eBooks or eAudiobooks. You can search for specific titles, authors, subject, or genres. The categories available include

• Arts & Entertainment
• Biography & Memoir
• Business
• Children's Classics
• Children's Fiction
• Children's Nonfiction
• Christian Fiction
• Classics
• Fiction & Literature
• Government & Politics
• Health & Medicine
• Historical Fiction
• History
• Horror
• Humor
• Language Studies
• Lectures
• Mystery & Suspense
• Nonfiction
• Philosophy
• Popular Fiction
• Popular Nonfiction
• Reference Works
• Religion & Spirituality
• Romance
• Science & Nature
• Science Fiction & Fantasy
• Self Help
• Sports & Recreation
• Study Aids
• Westerns
• Young Adult Classics
• Young Adult Fiction
• Young Adult Nonfiction

The number of titles available depends on the package that your library subscribes to, but I believe the starter package includes about 2700 eAudiobooks and 170,000 eBooks.

I don’t know if you’ve priced an eBook lately, but they remain relatively expensive, at least as much as a paperback and can be as much as half the price of a hardback. I was always disappointed at the greed of the publishing industry for making popular title eBooks so expensive.

The eAudiobooks are almost always unabridged--no Reader’s Digest condensed versions allowed. Have you priced an unabridged eAudiobook lately? They can run $80 each or more.

When you consider the fact that these materials are a free service from you public library and the convenience of the service—virtually available from anywhere you have an Internet connection--I think you should give your librarian a big hug next time you are there physically.

eBooks

NetLibrary, unfortunately, has not helped to further the cause of eBooks in my opinion. Your library must have acquired an Adobe Content Server Gateway License in order to download eBooks in PDF format. Many libraries do not have this option available, in which case you may only read the works online in your computer. You could laboriously copy each page and transfer it to a handheld device, but that is hardly worth the effort.

Alternatively, you can go to www.etext.lib.virginia.edu to download free eBooks in Palm and Microsoft Reader format. You visit Project Gutenberg at www.gutenberg.org for free eBooks in text, .html, and Plucker formats. Of course you can read Palm, text, and .html files if MobiReader, which I highly recommend. There is even a limited number of eAudiobooks available from Gutenberg.

Of course, if you want to pay for your eBooks and get more current releases, there are many sites available. My favorite is www.mobireader.com and www.ebooks.com.

NetLibrary’s choice of PDF format for eBooks is a poor one, for reading an eBook in this format is the worst possible experience. It would have been much better to select a reader such as MobiPocket that allows bookmarking, annotating, drawing, highlighting, searching, altering type size/style, color, and backgrounds plus popup dictionary definitions by merely tapping a word. This is what makes reading an eBook so worthwhile on a handheld device compared to a treeBook. PDF formatted eBooks are little better than a treeBook without most of the aforementioned features.

If there’s a book that you really would enjoy reading, it might be worth downloading it, converting it to text and then putting it into a MobiPocket reader so that you will have all the enhancements to make it an enjoying reading experience.

If your library doesn’t have the deluxe eBook package you are likely to find a collection of musty, old copyright expired works that haven’t been on a best seller list for at least a hundred years.

But, if your library can afford it, you will find many best sellers and popular titles and authors offered.

eAudiobooks

The eAudiobooks may be listened to on any device that is compatible with the WMA format. That means that you cannot listen to them on iPhone, iPod, or Zune devices because of DRM issues. But you can listen to them on any Windows Mobile device and most MP3 players.

You can choose whether you want CD or radio quality sound. You must choose CD quality for use on handheld devices. Hit the download button, and when the file has finished you can listen to it on your computer. If you wish to transfer it to your Windows Mobile device or to an MP3 player, follow the transfer instructions for your specific machine. You must also acquire a license for the remote device, which is a bothersome extra step. Why not download it in a single operation? You can use Windows Media Player for file transfer if you wish by invoking the sync function.

You can listen to eAudiobooks on your Windows Mobile device using Windows Media Player. However, you cannot bookmark where you left off in Media Player, which is a nuisance. There are, however, several audio players available that do allow bookmarking. Some of my favorites include Pocket Tunes Deluxe by NormSoft, Pocket Player by Conduits Technologies, and AudioPlayer by Vito Technologies. These players will allow you to add bookmarks for listening convenience.

Other devices

NetLibrary lists several tested devices that work with the system:

Archos Gmini 4021 Camcorder, Archos 104, Creative Zen 2/4/8/16/32 GN, Creative Zen V, Creastive Zen V Plus, Creative Zen Vision W, Creastive Zen Vision M 60 GB, Samsung YP-T7JZ, Samsung YP –Z5, Samsung YP-S5, Samsung YP-K#A, Toshiba Gigabeat S30.

I have personally tested two Sandisk Sansa devices, the Clip and the Fuze MP3 players. Both of these slim and diminutive players perform perfectly and allow bookmarking, which makes them ideal for audiobook listening and I recommend them highly.

Sandisk Sansa Fuze and Clip MP3 Players

Conclusion

While I appreciate NetLibrary making its services available to public libraries so that patrons can enjoy free and remote access to a wide array of eBook and eAudiobooks, its choice of formats is not the best, for it precludes some of the most popular devices such as iPods and the best eBook reader programs such as MobiPocket and eReader. Using .pdf format for eBook downloads is most unfortunate. Using only WMA format for eAudiobooks is equally unfortunate.

Consequently, NetLibrary has ultimately done a disservice to the evolution and acceptance of eBooks. It has perpetuated the myth that eBooks can only be read on computer terminals. By selecting .pdf format, readers are offered the least desirable reading experience with few of the features available that make reading eBooks so desirable in the first place. NetLibrary has made it difficult and expensive for libraries to offer eBook downloads.

These are the kind of bumps in the evolutionary pathway to the acceptance of digital media that just slows down the progress and will take longer for the public to embrace it. NetLibrary should go back to the drawing board and reinvent itself for it is poised to make a great contribution because of its distribution network, but it needs to update its formats and streamline its processes.

I do applaud the efforts of so many local libraries in their efforts to become more relevant in a digital world. It’s just too bad that they are limited in their choices. NetLibrary needs some competition. The digital literati would benefit and rejoice with many new converts along the way.