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The Cool 30: Cloud-Based Services

The Practical Nerd — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:42:04 +0000

This post is part of an ongoing series this month called The Cool 30.

Keeping things in the cloud is a godsend, pure and simple.

Yeah, there are sometimes a few hiccups here and there, but think about this: ten years ago, when your computer crashed, you might have been out of your email for a week or more, depending on your resources/finances. Today, when your computer crashes, you can still grab your email on your phone, or you can hop on another computer and access it through a web browser.

The opposition to cloud-based services is what if the server crashes? In other words, if I keep all of my information on Google’s computers, what happens when their computer goes down?

Well, Google spends a sizable amount of money on their computers, and they keep backups of everything. I’d much rather rely on Google’s state-of-the-art computers, which cost thousands of dollars, rather than on my four-and-a-half year old Toshiba Satellite laptop that I bought for $500 or so when it came out.

The cloud is changing everything that we do, and we don’t even realize it. My favorite? Publishing. This blog is completely run by the cloud. I have backups emailed to me every week, but that’s about it. It is 100% run in the cloud. I’m even writing this in a web browser. Thanks to the cloud, I am publishing the 7th issue of my own digital magazine, an ongoing project that I’ve always wanted to do. My books are stored in the cloud.

We use the cloud for communication. I use Google Voice for my business communication, Facebook to communicate with most of my friends, and Twitter to network with and meet new people in various industries.

The cloud houses most of my entertainment. Whereas I spent my younger years meticulously recording TV shows onto video tapes (remember those?), so that I would never be short of entertainment, I now use Netflix for much of my entertainment, along with Hulu, and I read a number of hilariously entertaining and thoughtful blogs.

I house my thoughts in the cloud with Evernote, I keep my day-to-day life in Google Calendar, and I even used the cloud to complete a correspondence course on direct response copywriting to expand my business. We manage our finances in the cloud with ClearCheckbook, and I can travel to new destinations and enjoy classic moments from movies and television with YouTube. You can even expand your knowledge about almost any subject with Wikipedia and a Google search.

The cloud houses your information, teaches you new stuff, keeps you entertained, and organizes your life. Heck, the cloud even makes me money every month. That is so cool.

Looking for more inspiration? Check out these 20 average goals accomplished by extraordinary achievers. If you want to take it to the next level, join The "I Can" Movement!

A Simple Tool to Boost Your Productivity

The Practical Nerd — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:44:27 +0000

If you are trying to reach a goal of yours, but feel like you don’t have the time, then it’s time to get more productive. But there are endless blog posts written on productivity – from systems like Getting Things Done, perhaps. But those all generally fall under the category of “work productivity”: trying to get things done that will move you closer to your goals. There’s nothing wrong with them at all, and you definitely need to be productive when you are working.

But there is also the little matter of wasting your personal time. Today’s average web surfer is trying to do a lot of things with a lot of different services. For example, some services that I use most often are:

With so many services to manage, I need to work with them as efficiently as possible to keep my time from spiraling out of control. Enter If This Then That.

If This Then That (or IFTTT) is a web service that links these different services together however you want them to, simply and quickly. I first discovered this tool from a post on Lifehacker called, “How to Supercharge All Your Favorite Webapps with ifttt”. There are loads of different uses for this tool, with services like the ones listed above, as well as Foursquare, Dropbox, RSS Feeds, Instagram, Last.fm, and others.

Once you link up the different services you use, you can create “tasks” that tell the services to do something when you take an action. For example, when somebody tags a photo of me on Facebook, that photo is automatically grabbed and uploaded to Google Photos for additional backup. When I click “Share” in Google Reader on a post I like, it will automatically be tweeted. There are seemingly endless possibilities, and the interface is very easy to use.

If you are unsure of where to get started, they have a “recipes” page, with tasks that others have created. Just browsing through those items can get you going. Here are the ones I currently have set up:

If I am tagged in a Facebook photo, it is uploaded to Google Photos immediately
If I star an item in Google Reader to read later, it is sent to Evernote as a new note in a notebook called “Links to Review”
If I mark a tweet as a “favorite” for later viewing, it also is sent to Evernote as a new note in the same notebook (this means that links I save are now stored in one central location from both Google Reader and Twitter)
If I share an item in Google Reader, a tweet is automatically sent with the link to share with my followers
If I upload photos or a photo album to Facebook, then the photo(s) are automatically uploaded to Google Picasa

This is just the beginning of how you can use this tool. Other ways include:

Receiving a text when it’s going to rain
Sending automatic direct messages to new followers on Twitter (DON’T do this one though – it’s really annoying!)
Save all Instagram photos to Dropbox
Put Foursquare check-ins on your Google Calendar
Sync Instagram photos to a Facebook album
Receive a text alert when something specific pops up on Craigslist

…and so on. It’s a free tool, and it has eliminated many steps that I used to have to take on a daily basis. Do you use IFTTT? If not, try it out and play around for a bit. If so, what’s your favorite “recipe”? Share in the comments!

Looking for more inspiration? Check out these 20 average goals accomplished by extraordinary achievers. If you want to take it to the next level, join The "I Can" Movement!

237 Small Goal Ideas: #9. Go Paperless

The Practical Nerd — Fri, 13 May 2011 16:17:17 +0000

I don’t believe the earth is going to blow up if we keep using paper. I’m all for going “green” and everything, but I also believe that the environment is stronger than we give it credit for.

That said, I’m a huge advocate for going paperless in your life whenever possible.

It’s more secure. Security is always an issue with documents on computers, and if done poorly, then you can leave your documents open to certain vulnerabilities. But at the same time, how secure is a piece of paper? If you have a fire in your house, those papers are gone. All those records, all those photos, and everything in between: history. Meanwhile, all of my important documents are scanned into my computer and saved securely in Dropbox, so I can restore them at any point.
It’s easy. Going paperless is not that much work. It might take a little bit of legwork at the beginning when you are starting, but this is a goal that is pretty much automatic once it’s set up.
It’s cleaner. I mean clean in two ways. First, there’s nothing more unsightly than a desk full of piles of papers. Scanning them and getting rid of the papers makes for a clean house. Second, I’m a left-handed writer. For those of you lefties out there, you know the pain that we all grew up with: smudgy handwriting as your hand crosses over what you’ve written. As I stay paperless, I don’t have to bother with that smudgeness because I type everything out instead.
It’s searchable. “Now, which document had that information on it?” “Where did I put that…” Two common problems with paper documents. You might know what information you need, but have no idea which piece of paper has that information on it. Or you know the exact page you need, but you can’t find it. Keeping it on a computer saves you that trouble because you can search all of your documents for what you need quickly.

So how do we do it?

First, get a scanner. Think you can’t afford one? You are sorely mistaken. The price of printers with scanners built in to them have dropped to hilarious levels. Our printer recently went belly-up, and I was able to find this bad boy at Target for $40 (though it’s listed online at $50). It’s not fancy, but it does exactly what we need it to do.
Get software to scan to PDF. I use Simple Scan for most documents on Ubuntu, but if you are a Windows user, you can use Scan2PDF. All you Mac lovers can use Image Capture to grab documents (you can save as an image file instead of a PDF if you want). They are all free and easy to use. You stick the document face-down on the scanner, open up the software, and click “scan”. Boom – you have a file that can be read on any computer.
Store your important documents on Dropbox. This includes letters you want to save, receipts, and legal documents. Dropbox will give you 2 GB of free storage, which is plenty for what you’ll be using it for. It will back up any files in the Dropbox folder and you can restore it at any time. Instant relief.
Start using technology in place of paper. Now that you have scanned documents in, you can start using your computer for stuff that you used to use paper for. Take notes in Evernote. Keep your to do lists in Google Tasks or Remember The Milk. Grocery lists can be stored in Google Tasks, Evernote, or Cozi, and they can all be accessed and checked off from your mobile phone, eliminating the need to write it down on paper and take it to the store. Store your recipes in Evernote (seeing a pattern here?) and tag them, so you can access them anywhere, at any time.
Sign up for paperless statements. Most of your bank accounts offer email statements. Take advantage of them. Pay the bills online with your bank’s online bill pay, which is usually free to use. Track your finances in a Google Docs spreadsheet or in ClearCheckbook. Forward your new statements from your email into, you guessed it, Evernote.

Going paperless will save you postage, paper costs, printing costs, and will keep your life a little more organized. Got a favorite tip for going paperless? Share in the comments!

237 Small Goal Ideas: #6. Get organized (like an adult!).

The Practical Nerd — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 20:40:39 +0000

Are you That Guy?

You know him: That Guy always forgets stuff. He’s always got that great idea, but never follows up on it. You make plans, but he forgets. He intends to do all this great stuff, but “never has the time”.

That Guy isn’t a jerk. He means well. He’s very thoughtful. But he’s one of those, “His heart’s in the right place, but his mind just isn’t”-type people. But for as nice as That Guy is, everybody’s annoyed by him.

(And of course, if you’re female, you might be That Gal.)

While being organized isn’t the be-all, end-all to this problem, it can certainly be a vast improvement to what you used to be. Getting yourself organized does a lot of pretty awesome things for you:

It shows maturity to those around you. Yeah, you need to start acting your age. Kids forget stuff. That’s why teachers spent so much time when we were younger teaching us to write stuff down and keep track of whatever. Like everything else we did in school, we just learned enough to get the teacher off our backs. Now we’re stuck. But if you’re over the age of 17, you need to start getting organized in your life. It demonstrates that you’ve entered adulthood.
You will actually find more time to do stuff. If you think you “don’t have time” to get organized, you’re dead wrong. I guarantee that you’ll find all sorts of time that you didn’t have before. Nowadays, I look back at my disorganized days and think, “Geez, how the heck was I so busy all the time? I didn’t do anything!” Keeping track of your time and what you are doing with it will uncover some surprises.
People will actually want to make plans with you. Being proactive about your time will free up lots of time to spend with others, and since you’re remembering your plans now, people will be much more apt to make plans with you.
You’ll get more stuff done. You might even be able to take on those other projects you’ve been meaning to get to! It’s like life optimization.
You might even sleep better at night. If you’re the type whose brain can’t shut off at the end of the day because you’re so worried about this, that, and the other thing, this might be your key to getting out of it. That means you’ll be a little healthier to boot!
Those great ideas can actually blossom into awesome projects. Now that you’ll remember your great ideas and have a central location for them, you’ll suddenly be able to develop them into stuff that could change your life!
You might save some serious cash. A lot of wastefulness goes into things like grocery shopping and other types of spending. We’re going to start getting used to making lists!

Okay, so if we’re going to get organized, we need to make sure that it is easy to implement, doesn’t take a lot of effort to maintain, and that it takes advantage of lots of free tools that are at your disposal. While you could use a number of great tools, here are the ones that I think are most effective at getting this done:

Set up your finances in ClearCheckbook. While ClearCheckbook is not perfect, it certainly is handy. The bulk of the internet world swears by Mint, but Mint doesn’t work with a few of my accounts, and I like to be able to manually reconcile my transactions. I feel like it keeps me on top of my finances better. So you can sign up for Mint, or you can use ClearCheckbook. Either way, you’re going to have a service that you can access from your phone (so you don’t have to carry around a checkbook anymore), and you can analyze your spending. I like ClearCheckbook for the spending limits that you can enter in, so we always have a snapshot of how we are keeping up with our monthly budget. This helps us plan our spending.
Sign up for a Twitter account. Trust me on this. If you want to get involved with Twitter more, be my guest. But we’re using Twitter for one specific reason (see below).
Get an Evernote account. I’ve long touted the wonders of Evernote in my daily life, and I continue to use it more and more. I use Evernote as a brain dump, where I can toss in articles that I find will be useful, organize receipts for my finances, and every little thought that I have can go into it. I have lots of different notebooks, but I set my default notebook as a “To Be Organized” notebook, which I review on a regular basis.
Link your Evernote and your Twitter accounts for anytime notetaking. Ever out with friends and you get some brilliant idea that you won’t remember later? Or you are chatting with someone and they mention a book that you should read? When this happens to me, I can use my phone to quickly text a note into my Evernote account. You can learn how to set up your Twitter account and your Evernote account here, and now you have an insanely quick way to take down that great idea as soon as you think of it.
Set up your Google Calendar. One of my other favorite services, Google Calendar may be one of the finest services that Google has ever put together. With Google Calendar, I have all birthdays, important dates, and things to do scheduled out, and I can have a specific event be sent to me as a reminder, either as a text message or an email, at a time of my choosing (five minutes before, one week before, 9 days before, etc.). This ensures that I won’t forget any important event. Plus, Google has added sports team schedules to it, so I’ll never miss a Packer game or a Brewer game throughout the year!

None of this should take more than an hour to set up. Once you start using it, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. Plus, your friends will no longer see you as That Guy (or Gal). Instead, you’ll be reliable, you’ll know what’s going on, and you won’t feel so stressed out when trying to remember anything. What’s your favorite tool for keeping things organized?

Looking for more inspiration? Check out these 20 average goals accomplished by extraordinary achievers. If you want to take it to the next level, join The "I Can" Movement!

Replace Your Address Book With Google Contacts

The Practical Nerd — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:25:13 +0000

(pictured: a protective snapshot of my Contacts list)

When I was but a lad, my mom had this address book that we used to hold all the contact information of our family and friends. It was, I’m sure, a very slick, clean address book at one point. But, years of people moving, dying, and otherwise caused this book to become a scribbly mess. Do you have an address book like this? Then it’s time to replace it.

Google Contacts is yet another Google service that I patronize, but it may be the most useful of any that I have. Sure, my Gmail is my main command center for all contact with personal and business folk, and Google Reader supplies so much of my ongoing education and fun reading. But Google Contacts is how I keep track of the people in my life, and for a few very good reasons.

It is backed-up

First, let’s start with the “backed-up” part of that. If we had ever had a house fire growing up (and I thank God we never did), that address book would have been lost forever, and we would have been stuck calling around and asking for everybody’s addresses and phone numbers and, well, you get the idea. Having an online service manage your address book makes it impervious to natural disasters. This includes storing contacts on your mobile phones (if you’ll see in the next sections): think about that the next time you are invited to a Facebook group called, “HEY I LOST MY PHONE PLEASE SEND ME UR NUMBER AGAIN THX!!!!!!!!!”

It is independent

What do I mean by that? Most mobile phone services come with some form of online backup solution. For example, my Blackberry Curve can sync up with an online Blackberry account to hang on to all my contacts. But what happens when I switch phones? And more importantly, what happens if I switch phones because something happened to my Blackberry? Let’s say I drop my phone in the toilet and it doesn’t work anymore. Now I want to upgrade to a Droid phone. How big of a pain in the butt will it be to access my contact list from my Blackberry account and get it on to my Droid phone?

Google Contacts comes with a fantastic feature called “Google Sync”, where you can sync your phone with your Google Contacts. I have it installed on my Blackberry, and I can bring up anyone’s name and address through my phone’s address book. This is handy when filling out applications where you need references. Plus, if I get a new phone, I just fire up Google Sync on that phone and all my contacts will be imported to it. And if I make any changes in my Google Contacts list or on my phone’s address book, it all gets synced up together. It’s a beautiful thing, and it makes it painless to manage.

It is searchable

You remember the old address books, right? They had these tabs on the side that said “AB”, “CD”, all the way to “WXYZ” because apparently nobody knew that many people with last names with those letters. You had to find your way to their last name, then find it among the mess of addresses, and it might be at the end now because they moved. Ugh. Just like anything Google, Contacts is searchable. Just click the search box and start typing. It won’t even let you finish typing before it starts giving you results. Quick. Simple.

I’m sure there are other reasons, but these are some of my favorites. Do you use Google Contacts? Do you manage your address book with a different service? Share in the comments!

Two More Great Chrome Extensions To Speed Up Your Browsing

The Practical Nerd — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:11:41 +0000

A while back, I posted an article detailing my switch to Google Chrome as my main web browser. Even as I have switched to Ubuntu (and also to the awesome Chromium daily builds – all the latest features of Chrome come to my browser every day), I believe that Chrome is the best browser on the market right now: it’s quick, it has great extensions, and it keeps innovating the web experience. While updating and improving my Chrome setup, I discovered two extensions that give my browsing more speed, and are easy to install and implement.

AdThwart

Pictured at the top of this post, AdThwart is an ad-blocker for Chrome. When I originally tried this extension, it didn’t work that great for me; it only blocked some ads, and it lacked the functionality of Firefox’s excellent AdBlock Plus. However, it has since updated, and it has eliminated my need to set up Privoxy – which was a little screwy with my connections anyway. AdThwart now allows you to tell it what ads it is missing, and with the recent news that ad blocking is about to get even better on Chrome, I’m happy to stick with this little extension.

Advertisements may make people money, but there’s no need for such intrusive and obnoxious ones (I’m looking at you, ESPN.com).

FlashBlock

Skip intro.

It’s the button that everybody knows and loves. Companies and web sites go to great lengths to put together fancy Flash presentations, but they just bog down web sites and make you click another button to get to where you really want to be. With FlashBlock, all those little Flash boxes are hidden unless you click on them. You can manually allow Flash on certain sites if you want, but without Flash loading on sites, they display much quicker. The internet is anxiously awaiting the full implementation of HTML5*, especially Steve Jobs!, but it’s going to be a while yet. Enjoy the Flash that you like and hide the Flash that you hate with this little extension.

*Note: for the layperson, HTML5 is a new, open-source method of embedding media onto web pages. It’s quicker and lighter, but it hasn’t been adapted across the board yet. It might be years.

So there you go, my fellow Nerds: two more great Google Chrome extensions. Do you have a favorite Chrome extension? Share it in the comments!

12 Reasons I Switched From Windows XP to Ubuntu

The Practical Nerd — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:28:04 +0000

This is a favorite topic of mine because it’s just good ol’ fashioned nerdery at work. But, I truly believe there are some great practical reasons why Ubuntu Linux should be considered for the general public. I bought my laptop in 2007 which, at the time, ran Windows Vista. After about a year, Vista kicked me off my internet connection, and several days with “Windows Certified” computer techs did me no good. I reinstalled Vista, and it did it again a couple months later. At that point, I was open to suggestion, and I tried out the LiveCD version of Ubuntu (which was several versions ago). Ubuntu recognized my internet connection and ran beautifully. I immediately fell in love.

A few technical reasons caused me to switch off of Ubuntu early last year, and I got my hands on a copy of Windows XP, which has served me well. However, it was time for a change. Ubuntu 10.04 (codename: Lucid Lynx) was recently released, with some solid new features. I was able to install it like a Windows program and try it out, and I discovered all the little technical problems I used to have had disappeared. This is a solid operating system with great support, and I’m happy to show you why I took the plunge and installed Ubuntu on my laptop, replacing Windows XP.

It’s the most recent operating system to date

We’re talking about technology here, where dates matter. When you have a piece of technology and something else out there is better, you want it. There’s a lot of tech envy in the world, and people scramble to have the latest. That’s why you see people ditching their iPhones for newer iPhones. Here’s a point of comparison: Windows XP was released in 2001 – NINE years ago. In 2004, were you still using Windows 95? For the vast majority of you, probably not. And the only reason XP has been supported this long is because Vista bombed and Microsoft had to. XP is being phased out now that Windows 7 has scored major points for the company. The energy is just not being put towards XP anymore. It’s time to upgrade.

By contrast, Ubuntu is the latest Linux release to date, and by far their most mainstream release yet. It has support for lots of hardware right out of the box (it “just works”, as people say), and it continues to innovate, such as with their “Gwibber” social networking integration.

Less bloat

Are you on XP? Hit Ctrl-Alt-Del, then look at the “Processes” tab. How many “svchost.exe” lines are there? Windows is notorious for taxing a computer’s system into oblivion. I’ve heard wonderful things about how lightweight Windows 7 is, but Ubuntu is right up there with it. Ubuntu is loaded with lots of functionality, but moves quickly, even on older hardware. It doesn’t ship with all the crappy trial software that Windows does, and it doesn’t “gain weight” with age like Windows does. Spending less time uninstalling stuff when you get a new operating system is a good thing. Plus, your desktop is nice and clean – no default icons. I like that.

Ubuntu Software Center

I’ve said it before and I will say it again: the smartest thing Apple popularized was the App Store. Having an app store eliminates the intimidation and complications of installing software. When you install something on Windows, you hit “Next” about forty times, agree to license agreements, tell the program if you want a desktop icon or an entry in the Start menu, tell it where to install it, etc. On top of all of that, 75% of the programs you install require a system restart, so you need to save what you’re doing and reboot the whole stinking computer.

In Ubuntu, you find the program you want, and click “Install”. That’s it. No restarts or anything. The app installs and is organized for you automatically. If you want to use the command line to do so, you can (as some old schoolers prefer). But if you’re like me, you want it as simple as possible. Click “Install” and go get a glass of water. It’ll be ready by the time you get back.

Slick, not overbearing animation

This was a pleasant surprise for me. Ubuntu has always had some slick animation stuff, but nothing that I could enjoy on my basic laptop. My version of Vista was Basic, so I never got to experience the Aero Desktop animations. This version of Ubuntu, however, is able to use my hardware to add subtle window animations that I love. While Windows is the front-runner for operating system animations, I’d really rather limit the effort put into animation anyway. The Alt+Tab feature (to switch windows) will show you only the window you are switching to, to allow you to focus on which window you want. Switching desktops (see below) is done with a slick sliding of the windows on your current screen. For a guy on a limited laptop, these animations are a welcome change without being a total distraction.

Multiple desktop support out of the box

A default installation of Ubuntu includes four virtual desktops. Having virtual desktops is a nice way to organize your windows and keep things straight. For example, I like to keep my Gmail and HootSuite running while I’m on the computer. I’ve given each their own desktop, so if I want to check my email, all I need to do is switch to that desktop and there it is (there are notifiers available, but I prefer the control). You can have whatever you want running in your four desktops, which allows you to keep things open without cluttering up your taskbar, and keeping a clean focus on the windows you need to focus on!

FREE

Ubuntu is free. There is no trial version, no “Pro” version, no “Ultimate” version. It’s free. All of it. Windows is several hundred dollars, and Mac OS X computers are thousands of dollars. You can go right now and download Ubuntu. Not only that, you can install Ubuntu alongside Windows and try it out. It is installed and uninstalled just like any program on Windows – a great, risk-free way to try it out.

Mac-like simplicity without Mac-like prices

There are lots of ways to “skin” Windows XP, and a couple days ago, I re-skinned it to look like Windows 7. I actually hated it. I’m sure the Windows 7 performance is great, but I found the taskbar to be way too big and trying to do too much. By contrast, the Mac OS X layout is known for its simplicity, which draws itself to a lot of users. Ubuntu retains that simplistic approach – and it is very customizable if you want to tweak it out. Keeping the desktop clean means you can focus more on what you’re doing with the programs, not with their windows or taskbars.

No viruses

There are two reasons why Ubuntu has no viruses: #1. You need to enter your password any time you try to install something, protecting you from automatic installations of garbage. #2. It doesn’t have the market penetration to warrant the attention.

The second one is a biggie. Those using Linux make up about 3% of computer users. Mac users are 5%. That means Windows users are 92% – why do you think they are targeted more? Any operating system can be hacked, eventually. Windows has a reputation for viruses simply because all the jerks that release viruses do it on the operating system that affects the most consumers. That’s Windows.

Great support

The Ubuntu Forums are a great place to ask questions and see answers. While the internet has a (valid) reputation for being full of rude and obnoxious users, the Ubuntu Forums are generally people who understand newbies and help explain to them how to do something on Ubuntu that they don’t know how to do. Plus, you can search their forums without logging in and get answers pretty quickly. Google is an Ubuntu user’s friend when support is needed. Compare that to calling India to have a tech support guy tell you to try rebooting, and then tell you to reinstall the entire Windows operating system because he doesn’t know what else to do about it (happened to me!).

Breathes new life into old hardware

My options: buy a new Windows computer for $500. Buy a new Mac computer for $1000. Install Ubuntu to my perfectly-fine computer for $0. The numbers speak for themselves. Linux can handle plenty of older computers, and Ubuntu is a great choice for those computers that are only a few years old.

GNOME-Do

This is a program exclusively available to Linux users, Ubuntu in particular, and it is easily my new favorite. The first app launcher I used was Launchy for Windows, which was a little window I could bring up and launch programs from. Without Launchy, to open Chrome, I could either put an icon on my desktop or taskbar (which I didn’t want), or navigate through endless menus. With Launchy, I hit Alt+spacebar, type the letter “c”, and hit “enter”. Done and done. Using an app launcher cuts down on tons of time spent moving around the mouse to double-click and all that jazz.

GNOME-Do is a step above Launchy. While Launchy also exists for Ubuntu, GNOME-Do comes with several useful plugins built-in to maximize its usefulness. I have the program synced with my Google account, which means I can hit Alt+spacebar and search my contacts for a phone number or address within seconds, or I can open a saved spreadsheet or document from Google Docs without ever having to open the main Google Docs page in my browser. The latter unifies the desktop and the webapp in a very useful way.

Ubuntu One

In my original post on backing up your stuff last year, I wrote about a great program called Syncplicity, which backs up 2GB worth of files for free. Now, Ubuntu has an online backup solution called Ubuntu One, which also lets you back up 2GB worth of stuff for free. In addition, the Ubuntu Music Store syncs up with Ubuntu One, so any music you buy from the store is automatically available in the cloud. I’m a fan of Ubuntu One simply because it is a necessary utility for most, and it’s built right in to the system.

I’m not here to discredit Windows or Apple’s operating systems. They are both very good and they appeal to very broad audiences. But for me, I think Ubuntu has a leg up on both of them for packing a simple, powerful, useful operating system into a free package for the average user. If you want to give Ubuntu a test run, visit their web page, which also includes instructions on installing Ubuntu as your main operating system, if you so desire (just remember to back up your important files first, or they will be lost forever!). Also, check out this very in-depth article on things you can do to maximize Ubuntu’s usefulness after you install it. Anybody else have any thoughts on Ubuntu? Ever tried it out or thought about it?

Four Things Missing From Hulu’s New Subscription Service

The Practical Nerd — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 02:01:08 +0000

The world waited with baited breath for Hulu to finally announce their subscription service. In case you missed it, Hulu confirmed that they will be offering full seasons of TV shows from NBC, Fox, and ABC at a price of $9.99 per month, including the ability to watch from your iPhone, iPad, and a number of set-top boxes.

As exciting as this news is, I can’t help but feel a little underwhelmed by it. I thought of four reasons why that is. Please keep in mind that I’m aware TV contracts are much more complicated than I’m making them out to be, and I know Hulu will probably be offering some of this stuff down the line. But here’s what’s keeping me from signing up:

Tiered pricing

The reason you hate cable TV is because you pay for a lot of crap you don’t watch. I know this can’t be avoided, but why not come up with a way to tier it per channel? Maybe I don’t watch anything on Fox, and I only want to subscribe to NBC and ABC? Why should I have to pay for Fox if I’m never going to watch it? Let’s give the people the ability to choose what stations they want. And in that same vein…

Open it up to cable offerings

Here’s one I’m oversimplifying, but it still is a valid argument: I’m not going to give up cable to have access to network TV shows for $9.99 a month. I want shows like Mythbusters, Man Caves, and awesome stuff from The Travel Channel. I want Phineas and Ferb (darn it!). Most good network TV shows are in syndication on regular TV. If I’m going to pay for TV, I want a broader offering.

XBox 360/PS3 Integration (for now)

Yeah, I know it’s coming, but two of the biggest platforms for this sort of thing are currently left out while they haggle over contracts or whatever it is. If I were Hulu, I would have waited to announce this service until they were nailed down.

The Killer Alternative to Netflix

Frankly, I don’t see why I would pay for Hulu right now. Netflix continues to broaden their offerings, including cable shows in HD, and I can watch it on my XBox 360, and get DVDs of stuff not streaming, for under $10/month. There’s no killer feature that makes me go “WHOA! I need to go out and get Hulu!”

Will it come? Sure – in time. But right now, I’m saving my money. What is your reaction to the big announcement?

The E-Readers Price War Has Begun: What’s The Best Reading Option?

The Practical Nerd — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 23:57:55 +0000

Reading was once a privilege only enjoyed by those well-off and those with patience. It wasn’t that long ago that books took forever to print and the world clamored for new books a couple times a year. Now, books are published and distributed in so many ways that it’s hard to even keep up. In Martin Luther’s day, The Bible was chained up in the library. I have a version of it on my Blackberry that I can search different translations with just a few buttons.

Technology has met books with the introduction of the e-reader. Amazon released one of the first mainstream e-readers in their Kindle, a device that employs “e-ink” technology, where the page treats your eyes like a piece of paper but you don’t have to turn pages. Reviews raved about this little device: you could download books from anywhere – especially with wi-fi hotspots – on the fly, and store hundreds of books on a little device like this. Ebooks generally run cheaper than regular books anyway, so it seemed like a slam dunk. Plus, the e-ink took less power to operate, so battery life could be over a week.

One problem: the price. Amazon’s Kindle was $259. Sony’s comparable e-reader was a whopping $349. Barnes and Noble released their Nook last November at a price of $259. This is a pretty high upfront price to pay, and you’d have to read a lot of books to make up the price of just buying books like normal. So the niche market has always been travelers and very heavy readers – people who need to lug around a lot of books and can store them in one little device instead. But all these e-readers are looking to crack into the full, mainstream reading market.

Then: The Price War Began

Two things happened that kicked off the price war. One, the iPad . As much as I hate this piece of hardware, it has a slick presentation that grabs eyes. One of the biggest features of the iPad has been iBooks, which is just a slicker version of an e-reader. Even though the iPad is at the ridiculous price of $499 (and jumps to an even-more-ridiculous $629 plus a monthly data plan to add 3G service like the Kindle/Nook offers for free), some people justify that price for a color e-reader. So that started taking market share from the other e-readers; why pay almost $300 for a device that reads books when you can pay $500 and get (in certain ways) more functionality?

The second was the brilliant move by Borders: bringing the Kobo eReader to the U.S. While this device lacks any internet connectivity, its price point of $150 finally started to look enticing to the mainstream. And with the announcement of bringing in the Aluratek Libre eReader for $120 , Borders looks like it is readying itself to start bringing in some serious market share.

Until earlier this week, when Barnes and Noble announced they were dropping their Nook to $199, and releasing a wi-fi only version of the device for $149. With access to a ton of free wi-fi hotspots in the country, all of a sudden, the Nook looks like the best option. Amazon, the same day, responded by dropping the Kindle to $189 . With wi-fi and 3G service, as well as a pending App Store , it looks like the one to beat.

So where is the future of reading? So far, here are your options:

1. Buy an e-reader and use ebooks.

Pros: Extremely convenient – get a book in a matter of minutes, either through your computer or through your device. New releases available immediately. Low price for ebooks. Carry a ton of books without the weight.
Cons: Big upfront price for device. Quality of device varies from company to company.

2. Go to the library .

Pros: Free.
Cons: Can be a limited selection. You’re on a time limit, so you have to keep renewing the book. If you’re like me, you don’t like that added pressure sometimes.

3. Trade books on PaperbackSwap for cheap.

Pros: Own a book for $2-3. Big selection available.
Cons: Have to wrap and mail books to get credits. Receiving a book can take weeks. Quality of books can vary depending on sender. Few new releases available.

4. Buy new books at the bookstore.

Pros: New releases. That “new book” smell.
Cons: Sticker price.

5. Download free e-reader software on computers and smartphones and buy ebooks.

Pros: Software is free. Ebooks are cheap. Take your books anywhere on your phone.
Cons: Reading on smartphones can be hard on the eyes, reading on computer is less-than-comfortable for long periods of time.

6. Buy used books on Amazon.

Pros: Low price. Generally good quality. Excellent selection – pretty much any book you want. Free shipping on orders over $25.
Cons: Shipping charges if you just want one or two books. Have to wait for books to be shipped to you.

What’s the answer?

I don’t know yet. I think e-readers are getting very close to breaking through. If you show me an e-reader using the e-ink technology and works well (and looks slick enough) for under $100, I’m buying in. $150 is still just a little too pricey for me to buy (although I would take one as a gift!). What are your thoughts? With so many options for reading books, which one is the best for your situation and why?

Big Pile o’ Links: The Gold Edition

The Practical Nerd — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 17:05:10 +0000

There is just a crapload of good stuff in today’s Pile. Let’s dig in!

The (Practical) nerdy stuff

The Hassle-Free Guide to Ripping Your Blu-Ray Collection [Lifehacker] – I’m a huge fan of digitizing DVDs and storing them on a secure, backed-up hard drive. I’m actually in the process of doing this again. But I had no firm instructions on backing up Blu-Rays. Here you go. This one went into my Evernote, and it should go into yours, too!
Use Google Maps’ Starred Locations To Find Your Car [Lifehacker] – Most Blackberries, iPhones, Androids, and others have GPS capabilities now. This would work really well with my Blackberry Curve when parking in big, confusing parking lots. Slick idea!
Why You’re Hooked On Email, and 5 Ways To Stop [Dumb Little Man] – One of the most glorious days of my life was when I stopped getting pop-up notifications of my e-mails. That’s just one way to cut down on this time-suck.
How to Return Facebook’s Privacy Settings to What You Signed Up For [Lifehacker] – Facebook is getting very close to jumping the shark with me. How about you?
The Realities Of Dropping Cable [The Simple Dollar] – It just makes me happy to see other people doing the same.
The Set-It-and-Forget-It Guide to Never Missing Important Events [Lifehacker] – TV shows, movies, concerts, events, birthdays, money, cell phone minutes, job hunting… yeah, you need this.
Clean Up Your Photo Collection With Free Tools [Lifehacker] – Geez, a lot of Lifehacker articles, as usual! I’m also a big proponent of digitizing your photo collection (again, to a backed-up, secure hard drive). Make it easier and more awesome with this guide.

A ridiculously giant pile of money articles

A Cheapskate’s Advice on Affording Anything You Want [Lifehacker] – Personal finance takes thought. Not a whole lot of it, but some.
Think the iPad Will Save You Money on Magazines? Think Again! [Wise Bread] – I held my first iPad the other day. It’s very nice and very slick. But it’s a toy. An incredibly expensive toy. Those that think it will save you money are fooling themselves.
Three Passive Barriers I Use to Counter Consumerism [Get Rich Slowly] – A short video from Adam Baker demonstrates how to keep control of your spending mentally.
5 Ways To Save Money With Online Banks [Christian Personal Finance] – I’m a huge fan of my checking account with ING Direct, and this is a great list for those considering it.
My Checklist to Financial Freedom [Christian Personal Finance] – Again, personal finance is not complicated. It just takes time and a little thought.
Calling BS on 5% Rewards Advertising [Wise Bread] – This is a great, well-researched article that blows open the idea that you are getting 5% cash back on your credit card.
How Large Should Your Emergency Fund Really Be? [Christian Personal Finance] – It’s an interesting debate, and there are plenty of arguments. However, what’s most important is that you have one.
Looking The Wrong Way [The Simple Dollar] – An interesting view: we have a hard time fighting debt because we can’t actually see it or use it.
Debt Consolidation and The "Orbital of Stupid" [The Simple Dollar] – Here’s what debt consolidators say: “Give us your money and we’ll manage it for you. You don’t have to change a thing.” But smart people know that the only way you will beat debt is by changing up your lifestyle and socking money at it. Knock off the consolidation. It doesn’t work.

Health: Physical, Mental, Social. It’s all important

Anyone Can Spend Less for Food [Wise Bread] – I learned this on my own. Food, at its core, is not expensive. Processed food is what kills your budget.
How to Improve Your Social Life: 6 of my Favorite Timeless Tips [The Positivity Blog] – I’m a firm believer that everyone should actively work on their social lives. Continue working hard to be a better friend.
Newsflash: There Is No Magic Bullet [Dumb Little Man] – Easily my favorite post of the past couple of weeks. I struggle with this sometimes. It’s crucial to understand that any measure of success will take time and sacrifice. You’ll get there. So will I.
How to Reboot Your Sleep Cycle and Get The Rest You Deserve [Lifehacker] – I’ve been caught countless times in webs of insomnia. This is a great article to get you back on track if you do the same.
10 Essential Kitchen Items for The Healthy Cook [Cheap Healthy Good] – Cooking healthy, like personal finance, doesn’t take a whole lot.
Slow Down and Enjoy Relationships [Zen Habits] – Facebook, Twitter, texting, etc. It’s time we start savoring our relationships instead of passing them by en route to somewhere else.
6 Reasons Why People Don’t Change, and What to Do About That [The Positivity Blog] – You want to change, but “can’t”, right? Yes, you can. Try these.
Is The News Making You Sick? [Simple. Organized. Life] – I hate the news. I never watch it. Crime rates are down and the economy is on the mend. All you see on the news are tragedies, murders, kidnappings, and doom. Turn it off and get your news on your own. You’re better off.
The Cost of Negativity [The Simple Dollar] – You’re losing time and money by being a cranky old butt. Knock it off and find some solutions.
7 Must Read Life Lessons From Abraham Lincoln [Dumb Little Man] – Smart guy, that Abe.
Discipline Outdoes IQ in the Long Run [Lifehacker] – You think you just got a bad break? Get down to business and quit whining, and you can go places.
4 Ways to Spend Time With Kids When You Have No Time [Stepcase Lifehack] – Another great parenting article for struggling parents in the modern age.
11 Reasons Why You Aren’t Getting Results [Stepcase Lifehack] – Feel like you’re spinning your wheels in the mud? There might be a reason why.
What Is Manliness? [The Art of Manliness] – Hint: it’s not abs.
Finding The Fire: Nine Things I Do To Make Each Day Great [The Simple Dollar] – You have more control over your day than you realize.
Top 10 Ways To Upgrade Your Morning Routine [Lifehacker] – Are you getting up, limping along, sucking down coffee, and sitting at your computer? Get moving and jumpstart your day.
7 Harsh Truths That Will Improve Your Health [Dumb Little Man] – My favorite? “#1. Nobody is responsible for your health but you.”

That’s it! Enjoy – and feel free to share your favorites in the comments below!