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Rick

Memjet printer – cutting edge technology or hoax?

I Stumbled on a website today discussing the new Memjet printer. It's an inkjet printer that prints 60 pages per minute. Visit the link to see video of the printer in action.

While the video demonstrations are impressive, there are a few sites that are of the opinion that the technology is a hoax. I did a brief search and it doesn't appear that there are any first hand accounts of anyone who has seen a memjet in action.

If this technology is a hoax, why? If it isn't a hoax, HP and Canon will certainly be interested in investing in the new technology.

Always a love-hate relationship

Lately, I have been working with many Windows 98 and Me computers (and a few Windows 95). For basic functions, limited Internet browsing, solitaire, email, and word processing, these computers work fine especially with a high speed Internet connection. However, it is imperative that Windows 98 and Me users NOT install any software that was developed after 2003. Your hardware and software configuration may appear to meet the minimum requirements of the software, but let me assure you that the product will not work optimally and your system will slow down considerably.

This especially applies to security software. For Windows 98 and Me users: ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY NEVER INSTALL NEW VERSIONS OF NORTON OR MCAFEE SECURITY PRODUCTS.

Fill in Forms Quickly – Video Tip

Are you tired of filling out forms using your keyboard and mouse?

To quickly move from field-to-field (box-to-box) while filling out a form, use the TAB key on your keyboard. For example; after you fill in your name, to move the cursor from the name field to the address field, simply push the TAB key on your keyboard.

Some of you may be aware of that keyboard trick, but this next one is a doozie!

OK, so you've tabbed from Name to Address to City and now you are in the State field that has one of those drop down lists to choose the proper answer. Normally, I would reach for the mouse, Click on the field, then scroll through the list and Click on the proper state. It works, but takes extra time.

New radio show format

Two weeks ago, with little fan fare, I announced a dramatic change in format for our weekly radio show. Although I never discussed it with my co-host, friend and producer, Adam, he whole heartedly bought in on the concept and we are proceeding.

When I started the Castellini on Computers Radio Show in 1999, my intention was to provide a forum for beginners to learn about computers, technology and the Internet in a non-threatening yet entertaining forum. For better or worse, my desire to help people got in the way of my original goal of being as "non-geeky" as possible. We answered questions from all callers even if the question was applicable for only that one person. Despite our best efforts of trying to explain our answers and the caller's questions in layman's terms, we turned off many listeners. Our most common feedback about the show has always been, "I love your show, but I don't understand anything your talking about on the show." 

The solution to Palm’s unclear future

Of course no one at Palm is going to hear me but I have the cure for the problems at Palm. This week Palm Inc. announced record sales for the Treo Smartphone but they also announced terrible earnings.

At least once quarter there is a rumor that someone is going to acquire Palm in one way or another. The problem is that Palm has the best product of its kind on the market.

The Palm Treo is a near perfect device. Whether you use the Palm OS version or the Windows version, the Treo does exactly what it is supposed to do and it does it well. If you are a Treo user, it would take an awful lot to persuade you to upgrade. When it all comes down to it, the Treo offers 10 times the features of the RAZR by Motorola and it is 10 times as easy to figure out, the real problem is that it is almost 5 times the price at full retail.

Phone tech support or NON-tech support?

Once again the ineptness of many of the phone tech support services reared its ugly head again. This time it was Sony's phone support. I worked with a client to set up his new Sony Vaio laptop (great screen by the way) and found that he was not shipped the Microsoft Office 2007 CD or certificate of authenticity that he paid extra for at purchase. Without the certificate, we could not activate the Office product. We called tech support and after 35+ minutes at three different people at two numbers, we were told that a call would be made back to my client within "three hours". 

YouTube becomes arena for political battle

I am going to keep this post free of any political commentary. I just wanted to post the "1984" video that it causing so much controversy. This video will be added to the list of dirty campaign commercials along with the Johnson nuke commercial and the Willy Horton ads.

It is worth watching just so you can say you've seen it. 

You may also enjoy the John Edwards, "I Feel Pretty" video.

Back in the saddle again…

Can you tell that I'm either a Van Halen fan or from a small town or both?

We had a great spring break vacation with our friends, but I'm back to reality again and the rigors of day-to-day work. Thankfully, my job satisfaction rating is off the charts. I love what I do and thank my lucky stars that I found a career that I enjoy doing each and every day.

I will take the credit for getting Adam started on smart phones (sorry Rachel) and like Adam I attempted to use my Treo while on vacation. Unfortunately, my carrier (Sprint) did not serve the part of the planet where we vacationed. Keeping up with email, getting directions, obtaining phone numbers for local restaurants, and using the phone were all rendered useless on my Treo without my cell signal. At first, I was very disappointed, but as the week wore on I found that being "unplugged" was a good thing. It forced me to leave the wonderful world I use so much in my Treo and turn instead to land line phones, phone books, and talking to the local citizens for suggestions, directions and ideas. Ahhh, I felt like I was in a 1950's black and white classic movie at times the nostalgia of yesteryear was so thick.

Viruses: BAD, Viral Videos: GOOD!

One of today's greatest tactics for marketers to get buzz going about a product or brand is viral video. A viral video is in no way related to a computer virus although the nomenclature is similar.

A viral video is a video that is funny or amazing that can be seen in the Internet. The clever or otherwise fascinating video is placed on the web and then word of mouth sends people to the hosting site. Soon the video and brand it represents are all over the web.

The Diet Coke and Mentos video is one of the greatest viral videos ever produced. While Diet Coke and Mentos probably had nothing to do with the video, you can be assured that they had no problem with the video's success.

Have you ever heard of these things called books?

I took a quick trip to Portland last weekend. While I was there I went into a few used book stores and bought some books to read on the long drive back. I was riding with my wife and Mother-in-law, both of which enjoy driving as much as I don't.

Conversation was interesting but they got tired of me pretty quickly. They would sit for hours trying not to talk in fear that if they started a conversation, I might try to get involved. I was glad I bought so many books.

I put my headphones and switched it to my Artist list and listened to all 17 Dave Matthews CDs randomly while I read from my books.