Politics and the Internet

In March of 1999, during an interview with CNN, Al Gore was quoted as saying:

"I took the initiative in creating the Internet"
Source : Transcript: Vice President Gore on CNN's 'Late Edition'

This quote was used and abused for years to come. You can still read and hear the "Al Gore, invented the Internet" jokes. Al Gore was preparing for a Democratic nomination the following year. Almost 8 years later we have another Democratic hopeful using the Internet card, but, this time will certainly be different.

It appears that John Edwards understands the Internet and is willing to embrace it. If you have not kept up with the Scobleizer and his time on the road with the Edwards campaign, you should. This is certainly a foreshadowing of days to come when these Political Campaigns utilize the Internet and all it's resources.

Which Superhero are you?

After seeing the "Which Superhero are you?" test all over the Blogosphere I thought it would be interesting to try it. I must say, the results are not what I would have expected, although I am happy to be Spider-Man with a little Hulk and Iron Man thrown in there.

Being married with 2 daughters, 2 female dogs and 2 female cats probably lends itself to the reasoning for the Catwoman and Supergirl influence, lol.

Your results:
You are Spider-Man

Spider-Man 80% Hulk 75% Iron Man 45% Catwoman 40% Supergirl 40% Batman 40% The Flash 40% Superman 35% Robin 30% Wonder Woman 20% Green Lantern 10%

You are intelligent, witty, a bit geeky and have great power and responsibility.

Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...

Live Lynching?

Is the Internet going to send us back 100 years?

How long will it take for the hanging of Saddam Hussein to make it to one of the main Social sites that broadcast video?

Hussein is scheduled to be hanged in the next couple of days and it is certainly likely that this event will show up, if not live, very quickly thereafter on the Internet.

A Social Rant

As usual Mark Cuban speaks his mind, and in typical fashion his rant about Google and YouTube goes on for over a 1000 words and then he hits the nail on the head near the end of the post.

When a forum is open to everyone, eventually everyone shows up and the original attraction of the forum is lost. Someone has got to take responsibility for any open social network or the network will die.

Source : Mark Cuban - http://www.blogmaverick.com

Having run several forum sites over the years this is a well described problem I have seen firsthand. And it is obviously infecting a lot of the Social networks. It is the main reason I have not been able to fully enjoy a lot of the social sites.

And it is a "catch 22".

• Everyone wants an open environment, but when a system is totally open without controls there are going to be people who take advantage of this and cause problems.
  
• And if a system is monitored and policed, then everyone complains about censorship. Well you can't have both.

Social has more to do with having relationships with others who are like minded, and less to do with a place that is open to a free for all of abuse.

Does your SEO know about the SEI?

For 20 years I have been told to make it "idiot proof", and being a programmer I would invariably spend extra time on the error handling only to find out that this was not the same as "idiot proof". This is also where the phrase GIGO (Garbage In Garbage Out) came from.

Now there is a lot of talk (blogging) about what is wrong with the SE's, maybe it is more about the SEI (SE Idiot) and the SEU (SE User)?

Look at some of the top searches listed out there.

www.google.com
www.msn.com
www.yahoo.com

And if you run any type of site where a celebrity is part of your site you can be guaranteed that there are searches for www.personsnamehere.com, with all types of misspellings and character assassinations.

Some examples:

A common search for Britney Spears might look like this....

www.britneyspears.com
www.britney spears.com
britknee spears.com
britneys ears.com

Now, let's be real clear about this. People doing searches like this are NOT idiots, they are just a little ignorant on the way things work and ignorance is something we all have in common, we are just ignorant about different things.

Ignorant = lacking in knowledge or training

Did you learn how to read without training, how about writing?

So maybe we need to spend more time on SEE (SE Education) and work to turn the SEI and SEU into an SEP (SE Pro).

Legend:
SEI (SE Idiot)
SEU (SE User)
SEP (SE Pro)
SEE (SE Education)

Negative buzz, positive results?

There is an old saying "any publicity is good publicity, as long as they spell your name right", and as much as you may think the way things work on the Internet are a far cry from the old brick and mortar ways of doing business, some things may never change.

In the last couple of weeks, there have been two cases of what may be considered bad press, giving good results.

1. Google Drops the SOAP - The negative aspect of Google deprecating their SOAP API has certainly drawn a lot of attention to their AJAX Search API.
   
2. Wikisaria - First there were the reports that Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales was partnering with Amazon to create a search engine to do battle with Google. Then we learn that this was being reported wrong. Now, how much traffic has been generated for Wikisaria and the rest of the story?

These reports may not have been produced for this purpose, but, there is no doubt that the negative sides are certainly driving positive results in each case.

Note : Is this the final stop on the Wikisaria romp around the blogosphere?

A Digital Christmas with CybersView

CybersView has an incredible start; Thanks to Google and all our new friends. We enjoy your comments and appreciate your support of our efforts. Please subcribe to cybersview.com in your RSS feeder and take advantage of our CyberSearch page.

'Wii' continue to evolve with a look at today's digital lifestyle, it's events and it's history. Thanks for reading and searching CybersView.com.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate the birth of Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Happy Holidays to you, with His blessings in this holiday season.

Posted by David & Mike ~ Christmas 2006

Wikiasari

It's interesting to see all the blogging going on about the reported new search engine called Wikiasari that is a collaboration between Amazon and Jimmy Wales (founder of Wikipedia).

However, if you go to http://www.wikiasari.com there is a message posted today by Wales that clearly states the role of Amazon.

Reporters and bloggers note: Amazon has nothing to do with this project. They are a valued investor in Wikia, but people are really speculating beyond the facts. This has nothing to do with A9, Amazon, etc. Help me out, spread the word. I am looking for a community of people to continue the development of wikiasari and so on. Discuss here. Join the mailing list. ----Jimbo Wales 23:24, 23 December 2006 (UTC)
Source : http://www.wikiasari.com

Another key fact is that the domain name Wikiasari was registered in November of 2004, so this is not just something that has happened overnight.

Based on most reports it seems that Mr Wales believes we can have a better search engine if we rely on each other to make judgements on the value of pages instead of using algorithms generated by computers. This should be an interesting topic to monitor over the next few months as the first quarter of 2007 is being reported as a potential launch date.

Digital Camcorder for Video Blogging

With all the video blogging and podcasting going on it appears to be a good time to look into the Digital Camcorder options. At first glance it appears there are only 2 million choices.

If you are Podcasting or creating a Video Blog how about sharing some of your wisdom? Maybe a good post on your blog about how you create your program.

For now, here is the Top 25 Most Popular Digital Camcorders according to Amazon. Each link will load our search page and display information from Blogosphere, Internet, News and Videos sources.

Pure Digital PSV-352
Pure Digital PSV-351
Canon Elura 100
Sony DCR-DVD405
Sony DCR-DVD505
Sony HDR-UX1 AVCHD
Sony DCR-DVD105
Canon ZR500
Sony DCR-HC26
Sony DCR-SR40
Sony DCR-TRV280
Sony DCR-HC96
Sony DCR-DVD305
JVC GR-D350
Aiptek DV5900
Sony DCR-DVD205
Samsung SC-D363
Sony DCR-HC36
Sony HDR-SR1
Aiptek MPVR
Canon HV10
Samsung X210L
Sanyo Xacti HD1A
Panasonic VDR-D300
Aiptek DV3100

A different view of You

This is a great clip from Jon Stewart on the Time Magazine Person of the Year.

As you probably already know, you have been selected as the Person of the Year.

Symantec has a new adverband

RockdotRock is the new adverband from Symantec. And just what the heck is an adverband, well obviously someone with a warped sense of advertising thought it would be a good idea to use an unknown rock band as their branding mechanism.

RockdotRock was formed in late Summer 2006 by Symantec Corporation as an alternative to broadcast advertising. The band was selected from a pool of 20 competing acts who were ready to lend their chops to the cause of Internet freedom. As the world's first adverband, their goal is to create awareness for their sponsor through the majesty of rock n' roll. Source : Official Press Release

Of course, knowing the way things work these days, it will probably be a smash hit. And if it is not, it will still go down as one crazy viral marketing scheme.

Maybe it's just Spinal Tap reincarnated!

Links:

Symantec Corporation

RockDotRock Official Website

Share your Feed reading

A good friend has begun referring to me as CyberGoogle instead of CyberCoder claiming that all I talk about is Google stuff. Although I do not believe that is entirely true, I certainly must admit that Google has my attention with most of their tools.

Case in point is the Google Reader. I jumped right in with Google Reader when it first became available, and just as quickly shelved it and went back to Bloglines. After the last major upgrade I thought I would give it another try, and I have been using it since.

One of my favorite features is the Shared items feed that you can create allowing others to see what you are reading. I have posted my shared items in the sidebar with the javascript code supplied. It is very interesting to subscribe to others shared items and see what they are reading. This has also led me to subscribing to sites that I had never seen before.

If you use Google Reader, do everyone a favor and let them know it with a link to your shared item feed.

They are available as a page at https://www.google.com/reader/shared/00656704731855016255 (and there's a feed too)

Google Secret Sauce

Why so much Google?

It's easy..... they listen.

Recently Robert Scoble interviewed Mark Lucovsky and they touched on a lot of the reasons so many developers love Google.

The interview revolves around Mark's work with the Google AJAX Search API and how they have produced a solid working product in a short time.

The Google secret sauce:

• Develop for both beginning and advanced developers.
• Give the code to the developers without restrictions.
• Listen and respond.

And this is exactly how the AJAX Search API has progressed. In the interview Mark talks about how a self proclaimed "hick programmer from Mississippi" requested the video bar one day and Mark was able to take the idea and deliver a working product by early the next morning.

That type of relationship between a company the size of Google and an individual programmer goes a long way to building great products.

Links:

Robert Scoble interviews Mark Lucovsky

Google Ajax Search API

Update : Google Code - Updates: Beyond the SOAP Search API

Search the Solar System with Google & NASA

Google in space...boldly searching where no engine has before? Google's new partnership with NASA's Ames Research Center will share the enormous global information the space agency has with the average internet user.

We've already had an out-of-this-world experience with NASA's World Wind, which allows you to zoom in from satellite altitude into any place on Earth, leveraging high resolution LandSat imagery to experience visually rich 3D, just like you were really there.

I like Google's philosphy to share this immense data about our planet and solar system online with the average person, using simple web controls anyone can use. Visualize Google Earth expanding into the solar system!

Imagine a virtual flight over the surface of the moon or through the canyons of Mars," said NASA Administrator Michael Griffin at Headquarters in Washington. "This innovative combination of information technology and space science will make NASA's space exploration work accessible to everyone."

Official NASA Press Release @ www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/releases/2006/06_96AR.html

GooglePhone

Until now if we used the phrase GooglePhone it usually referred to using Google Talk over IP. But according to the blogosphere there appears to be a new Google Phone on the horizon.

It has been reported that Google is in talks with Orange about a mega deal to bring a Google branded phone to the market. This seems like a logical step for Google. With the transformation of cell phones from simple verbal communication devices to handheld mini computers, Google could give us the tools to bring the phone to life over the Internet.

If Google uses it's same philosophies for the phone that it has used on the Internet we may finally get an affordable means of searching and browsing from our little handheld friends.

Sources :

The future for Orange could soon be Google in your pocket | World | The Observer

mobile.newsthis.com · Googlephone Coming Soon?

Top Digital Cameras and Phones used on Flickr

This is probably the best endorsement for a digital camera or camera phone I have seen.

Instead of digging through the reviews just check out this list at Flickr. They have compiled the following from their extensive uploads.

Most Popular Cameras in the Flickr Community

• Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT
• Nikon D50
• Canon EOS 20D
• Nikon D70
• Canon EOS Digital Rebel

Popular Point & Shoot Cameras

• Canon PowerShot SD400
• Canon PowerShot SD450
• Canon PowerShot S2 IS
• Canon PowerShot A520
• Canon PowerShot SD300

Popular Cameraphones

• Sony Ericsson K750i
• Nokia N73
• Nokia N70
• Sony Ericsson K800i
• Sony Ericsson W810i

Link :Flickr: Camera Finder

Microsoft Zunes In

The Zune Makes Waves @ YouTube...www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQg0JNaKeVM

Engadget did a full review of the Zune @ www.engadget.com/2006/11/15/zune-review/

DVR - Scientific Atlanta 8300HD

This has to be my favorite device right now. Based on the fact that next to my computer it is the device I count on the most to deliver daily information.

I use Time Warner cable and purchased a new HDTV for my wife and I as an early Christmas present. HDTV is the only technology device she has ever shown an interest in, (next to the Refrigerator with a TV in the door).

Ok, back to the DVR. As we have 2 teenagers and we work different schedules the DVR has been the best option to record our shows so we can actually sit down together and enjoy them. So far we have been pleased with the Scientific Atlanta 8300HD.

The next step is to expand the capacity with a SATA drive so we are not rushed to watch something just because we have recorded so much.

Wii Will Rock You

Wii Fi

Wii Search

Wii Drum Machine Video on YouTube

Wii Remote Synthesizer

2nd Generation Gap: Wii Will Rock You

Have A Sharper Image

The Sharper Image website has an impressive array of hi-tech gadgets and gizmos, any of which would make a great gift for him or her...

Bluetooth Wireless Stereo Headphones let you listen to your iPod, computer, TV or stereo up to 30 feet away

The Ultimate Human Touch Massage Chair offers 8 preprogrammed massage sessions to soothe and rejuvenate sore muscles

Ionic Breeze air purifiers let you breathe easier indoors

Sharp 32 inch Aquos Liquid Crystal HD TV presents LCD technology in clear, high-resolution widescreen images in true 16:9 aspect ratio

Bose SoundDock Digital Music System charges your iPod as you listen to clean, undistorted sound

Magellan Prestige RoadMate Portable GPS system features 4GB hard drive, detailed street-level maps of all 50 states and Canada, with built-in microphone, speaker, 3.5-inch color LCD screen and integrated Bluetooth connectivity.

Cingular Blackberry Pearl

Cingular just introduced the Blackberry Pearl, which combines a full-featured phone with a camera, media player, calendar and email. It's the smallest Blackberry yet and only weighs 3.1 ounces. But it packs alot of features into one little handset, and it's the first Blackberry with a camera.

Cingular also offers two cool services with this model. Their Push to Talk network service allows availability icons and quick group calling, so close contacts are just a push button away. The TeleNav GPS Navigator requires an optional Bluetooth GPS receiver, but the service allows 3D maps that turn, move and stop, just like in-car navigation systems. And it can be used either in the car or on foot.

Cingular

RIM Research In Motion

You Witness News

It appears that Reuters is catching on to the Blogosphere. First they started syndicating blogs through the BlogBurst service and now they are partnering with Yahoo to create a "citizen journalism" portal. All you need is a camera phone to become a paid journalist.

Yahoo! News - You Witness has launched and gives people the opportunity to upload photographs and videos to be considered for syndication through Reuters and the Yahoo News (You Witness News) service.

Reuters Link: Yahoo partners with Reuters on eyewitness pictures | Tech&Sci | Internet | Reuters.com

NY Times Link: Have Camera Phone? Yahoo and Reuters Want You to Work for Their News Service - New York Times

Hi-Tech Text

Over a million text messages are sent every day...and email number into the billions. All these awesome hi-tech tools developed from over twenty years of technology research and development are available at our fingertips.

And what is it being used for? So kids can send text messages, LOL, BRB, IMHO. They can text one handed from their cell phone faster than most people can type email with both hands on a full sized keyboard.

Funny...a text message gets a quicker response than a phone call these days.

Cingular's New Samsung BlackJack SmartPhone

Sprint Power Vision Phone by Sanyo

Google Talk: Get connected not just communicate

We love Google talk because we don't just talk, but we're communicating live. We may not actually talk for minutes, because we're both working on a draft, a post, or something else - the point is, it's more productive communication because we're at our computers and we're both using hands free headsets, so we can talk and type at the same time.

Sending links, text and graphics back and forth is a snap using the the Chat window. Anything in the chat window is also saved in each of our Gmail accounts so retrieving items at a later date is very easy.

CybersView from the Eye & the Ear of the Beholder

We love personal technology and it's influence on entertainment. All these "gee-whiz" gadgets that impact our high-or low-tech lives can really enhance our lives or just make things complicated. We want to know the real deal, cut through all the "geek-speek" nonsense, and translate the keywords into simple english that we can understand.
Thus, CybersView.com is our personal look at personal technology and entertainment, from a critical viewpoint, or CybersView from the Eye and the Ear of the Beholder.

Some Recent Stories:
Bose Headphones @ Sharper Image
Most Innovative Digital Cameras @ PC Magazine
Peter Gabriel Filter Playlists @ blog.wired.com

Nike+ iPod Sport Kit - Nano or NoNo?

Nike calls it Nike Plus. Some students are calling it scary. We're just calling attention to it, because it's new, it's cool, and it could affect our lives, both postive and negative. We believe in knowing all the facts, good and bad, so we can make the best choices in life.

The Nike+ iPod nano sport kit fits a sensor into your sports shoe and uses your iPod nano to track your jogging or workout movements. Pretty nifty new use of existing technology, but students have already raised big security concerns. There are ways to hack and track someone using the RFID technology, but of course, you can just turn off (deactivate) the sensor from the Nike iPod sport kit.

Tune Your Run @ www.apple.com/ipod/nike

View video @ www.nike.com/nikeplus

Read more at Wired.com/news/technology

Welcome

Welcome to CybersView.

The basic principle of this blog is to write about technical things that affect our daily lives. We love gadgets, but, we love gadgets we can afford even more!

We also love DVDs, Movies, Music, Television and a host of other common things that everyone can enjoy. From Celebrities to Politics, we hope to cover it all.

We hope you will tune in and subscribe to CybersView.