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Creative titles aren’t my specialty… Anywho, today I decided to try something that really made sense, and strangely enough, it does exist! Perhaps this is not news to anyone, but I really don’t recall seeing such a handy Map and Photo mashup available on our beloved Flickr.com site, just try Explore feature!

We were thinking of finally taking a one day trip to the little mountain town of Helen, Georgia. So, I did regular searches on Google and others to find out tourism attractions and other things about the town. I must say, there was very little available in terms of entertainment for family, perhaps because the town is truly little. I did hear they have most wonderful nature and scenery, so that itself probably worth the 2 hour drive. Scenery led me to think of Flickr, so I went there and just typed name of town. It actually sent me to a screen with good geo-positioned photos, showing you the place in images! I recommend you try it out, before your next trip to anywhere.

I have been using similar handy feature on Google Earth Desktop software, but I was sure Flickr would have many more photos available for any given spot.

As I wrote this, I decided to dive back into Google Earth and play around with options. It is Astounding how deep that tool is and how it is improving every day! Not only was I able to find tons of photos and useful information, I was amazed to discover YouTube integration! This essentially allows to Click certain locations to see VIDEO popup from YouTube, related to that place! Now That’s a Mash-up! Perhaps this is their secret true reason for buying YouTube in the first place !

My next question is — when is this kind of functionality coming to my iPhone? Or will this be an Android-only feature, to try and win over iPhone early adopters?

Now, if only instead of all this site seeing on the Internet, we would actually get into the car and get going there! That, my friends, is a technological challenge of a different nature…

UPDATE: Flickr is your best source for breaking news-in-photos, as I forgot to mention. Take a look at this happening Documentary of Hurricane Gustav in Photos. Gives you chills and definitely brings us closer to the affected people.

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I am calling upon you, my readers, family, friends, everyone, Save Me from this madness that is iPhone 3G Mania! Everything and Everyone and Everywhere, all they talk about is the new iPhone 3G.

I am really trying to resist the urge. Though my contract is long up, and my Windows Mobile Smartphone, which I really love, is started to act up, I am still trying to fight the temptation. I know I posted about this before, how I don’t really need an iPhone, but I did not know then about the App Store!

As the old saying goes – It’s the Software, silly! What!!! Do I need to recap again how Microsoft made Billions Trillions and virtually created a Monopoly in many markets (not just Operating System), by focusing on Software?

So are they missing the next computing revolution again, just like they almost missed the whole Internet thingy, back on Billy G’s watch? The mobile revolution is just as critical, if not more so!

What’s more, this is a monumental shift away from bulky desktops, to tiny, powerful and mobile devices, which naturally lend themselves to cloud computing. These devices will rapidly become faster internally (CPU), with faster connection speed and more sensors (like GPS, Accelerometer, etc.). Bigger screens, projected screens and virtual input devices, precise speech recognition – such features are a given. But the most exciting are the capabilities that extra sensors bestow on our computing experience. Geo-tagged photos, virtually unlimited world of streaming Video over the air, purchasing items from Vending machines with your device, are just few simple and existing computing experiences right now.

Try to do that with your desktop PC! And therein lies a problem — pretty soon we won’t need the old clunky desktop computers, that used to run Windows (remember that monolith!!?). Already most people rapidly shifting to Laptops, for example.

So where is Microsoft? I am not just concerned as a client and user here, but as a shareholder! Windows Mobile is something I have been using for years, on all kinds of devices, from version 1.0 in fact! And it has rapidly went Nowhere! Here we are in 2008, all we got is barely version 6 and it offers no major features. Where is the long overdue Deepfish browser? Will it support JavaScript or Flash or some fancier features that people need on the mobile platform? Why no Java on Pocket PC editions of Windows Mobile!? That kills thousands of applications that could really enable that bigger touch-screen!!?

It’s the Apps, stupid! Windows Mobile is still way too complex to develop for. There is the need to support virtually any resolution, plus touch or non-touch screens, plus different built-in device capabilities and CPU speeds. Does that sound simple to you!!? Versus, the iPhone Apps — One platform, modern operating system, AND developers have a trusted set of features and capabilities! Plus, their programs go through Apple quality control, before being released to device. That is actually good, IMHO.

So why this post, why the blues? Because It’s the Echo-system!!! I will be the last to accept iTunes, in fact I don’t allow it on any of our computers here at home, but given the iPhone, it will have to “sneak-in”. This is just a stepping stone, I already see myself buying our first ever Mac down the line, perhaps to develop iPhone Apps. And I HATE Mac OS X !!! Starting with the insulting single button mouse, all the way to supposed “simply works” moniken, which simply isn’t true!

Here I am, torn between the “need” to enter the Cloud Computing age, and the resistance to enter the whole new Apple echo-system, via the iPhone 3G? I am not really viewing it as a Music Player, nor a Video Player, and not even a Phone! I mean gosh, every $0 phone can do these things today!

It’s the REAL BROWSER and the Application Platform, and of course the big screen, these are the exciting things! So friends, family, readers, and just Apple haters, join in and Save Me by commenting below.

Better yet, Microsofties, come and comment and tell me why are you missing the party! Help save me and perhaps thousands others from switching over to the “other-side”. Please, only something that really coming, and no insulting references to limited devices. I have looked at technologically impressive Samsung Omnia, but no USA carrier picked it up, nor there is any serious Browsing or Java features promised! And where is the amazing Android mobile OS from Google? It is also promising, but a huge challenge. Thus far I hear more delays are on the way, not good… Heck, even the mythical Zune Phone (Yea, I know it’s coming, no secrets from me!), with gaming, video and audio, is still unconvincing! Why? Because they will “forget” the Real Browser, and Apps platform, especially if they rush it out in less than a year…

Save Me……!!!!

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I am heading to local Home Depot, where finally it should be Easy to recycle those old broken fluorescent light bulbs. All of them contain Mercury, a very dangerous Cancer causing chemical, even in small quantities can be inhaled and cause all kinds of nasty things.

Over the years I have been collecting the light bulbs, planning to drive to an official recycling center, but there wasn’t one anywhere near us! About half a year ago, while shopping in our local Home Depot, I noticed their employees carelessly dropping several large fluorescent tubes into big trash can at the end of the store. Needlessly say I wasn’t happy. I asked them about recycling, and the manager asked WHAT? WHY? She had no clue, so I called corporate number and explained my concern.

I probably wasn’t the first, and recently Home Depot announced official Recycling Program! I have collected quiet a lot of bulbs over the years (staring at the box full of about 20), so I am happy to finally get rid of them, in environmentally friendly way.

Oh, and I may stop by AT&T store, which is right next door, and pick up an iPhone 3G. More on that later! And I am thinking of upgrading my blog this weekend to 2.6 Wordpress, it’s about time. Ah, plans plans.

In other random happenings, I installed Ubuntu 8.04 about a week ago, and I plan to post on that also, including super simple install instructions, soon.

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I am just outraged now, so that is usually when I do my best writing

I’ll try to keep it brief, if possible. My son and I came across a strategically positioned CD in local GameStop about a month and a half ago, showing Final Fantasy XI Demo for PC for $2 . At a moment of weakness, we decided to give Final Fantasy XI a try, since we generally enjoy online play, as you probably know by now.

Upon arrival at home, we promptly attempted to install the game. Strangely, the process wanted us to submit a Credit Card. Granted, I should have stopped right there and read the 100 page User Agreement, but thinking of Sony and Square-Enix brand names, I decided that I can really trust these companies to do Right by their customers.

However, on a first attempt to play, it failed after half an hour of trying to "patch" itself. We tried to install on another computer, but with the same sad results. As much as I hate to, I was forced to spend some time online with their Tech support, who after silly troubleshooting attempts simply assured me that we must be having Internet connectivity issues and try again later. Obviously our high speed Internet had no such issues, which was also obvious by the fact that half the patch was downloading successfully prior to failure. Long story short, since my son kept begging, after various attempts and more calls, I left a laptop overnight connected to Internet directly (bypassing the router) which somehow did let the patch through…

After about half a day of play, he complained that there was no Tutorial at all to understand how to play. There were also no obvious ways to understand Who to see to start off in the world, and How to do Anything. He also had computer hang and forced a restart in the first few minutes of play, and I am certain it isn’t our computer’s fault… Mind you, this is the dude that tried almost every MMO out there, free and paid!

So, after he promptly stopped playing, I tried to remove this horrible ordeal from my memory, and disregard the hours and effort spent to just make the darn game work. Until this weekend, when my online Credit Card showed a charge of almost $18 from Square-Enix/PlayOnline.

I promptly called them and explained the situation. The answer I got was: The charge represents pro-rated part of March after 30 days expired plus a charge for April. And, although they can help me cancel the account (which hasn’t been used for over 40 days, but they insist that they have "no way of checking usage" ), the Charges CANNOT be refunded EVER and IT IS stated in the agreement?! I didn’t find it in the agreement, and the representative insisted that Manager is unavailable and I need to call again. Well I did call again, and got the same Answer, albeit this time with some assurances that "someone will call you back"……..

The ridiculous part is that we never purchased the game, just the silly demo, so I didn’t expect charges. In contrast, World of Warcraft gives you 30 days trial and even though you also need a credit card for the trial, they will never charge you until you Choose to subscribe and continue after the trial!

Another ridiculous part is the supposed pro-ration, the charge for the Future month (April) and refusal to refund even the future month only. Plus, no Emails What So Ever to say "You were charged" or simple courtesy reminder that "Your 30 Day Demo has Expired".

Sorry to bore you with this, but I think all companies should learn something here. Here is what my son said when he heard about the ordeal: Lesson Learned – Never Buy Anything Sony. I definitely join him in this profound realization, plus I will be thinking twice or more before considering future Square-Enix games as well… Maybe there’s truth to all those articles saying that Sony is in financial trouble and going downhill fast…

I hope your $18 was worth this for you, Sony!

PS: For your reading pleasure, the PlayOnline Member Agreement, which is weird since you can even have PlayOnline account for free… Where is the part in which it says we charge "whatever" and keep the money no matter what, for future services not granted?

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I have decided to write a series of thoughts on Happiness. This being the first official one, otherwise known as Happiness through TV viewing.

Many of us like to "unwind" by watching some TV. And somehow most of us migrate from this little occasional unwinding, to being addicted to yet another weekly TV series. So what went wrong?

The main cause is corporate greed, of course. TV Networks and the show writers perfected the formula for show creation overtime, and their goal is Clearly to Suck you In and get you addicted and watching All The Episodes!

Yes, it is a simple formula! Here’s the executive summary: Create a master plot, which through small clues evolves from episode to episode. Create a master sub-plot, which often must have start and end within each individual episode. Sometimes shows have two such sub-plots in each episode, running side by side, to ensure viewer is glued to TV enough.

Add to this some important visual/auditory elements, with plenty of natural beauty. This important ingredient includes water/metropolis/sunset/sunrise, and city lights, maybe some luxury, etc. Top it of with Plenty of beautiful people, as much as the studio can afford, usually. LOST maybe a small exception here on the people part, but take CSI Miami, complete formula, right there! Did you notice how most of the episodes start? With plenty of girls in bikini having beach or pool or otherwise fun?

I am not laying blame here, not yet. But, think about it, "She came to Me" rarely works as an infidelity defense for husbands!

You need to take control and understand what’s behind your TV watching habits. Better yet, take it one step further and try to see what you were trying to achieve. Most of us, after tough long day, want to relax in front of TV, with expectation of feeling replenished and Happier afterward!

So choose appropriate programming! It’s your spare time and I am sure it is limited! If the quest for knowledge is something that is your long term goal in life, switch to some Discover or History programming. Scout the net for Nova and other relaxing yet educational material.

If that isn’t your cup-of-tea, use the good old "occasional sit-com" pill. This is quality TV right there, and if used in moderation, good laugh and relaxation is your quickest route to feeling rejuvenated and Happy. Well, a little happier, at least, its a solid start.

Hey, I Love Lucy too!

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