Skip to content

Riding Shotgun with Adam

Norton 360 verdict not in yet – don’t be a guinea pig

Norton has recently released a new version called Norton 360. Symantec claims that they have scrapped 80+ percent of their old code and the 360 version is a totally new program.

I have only seen it installed on one computer so far and I couldn't really see if it was any faster or slower than previous versions. Since the system I saw it on was also running Windows Vista, I couldn't tell if the sluggishness of the computer was caused by Norton or Vista.

I can say that I have Vista running on a very similar machine as the one I saw running 360 and it didn't seem any slower.

Future Windows Prediction

By now it is no secret that I have a unique super power. I can see the future of technology. Too many cell phone radio waves to my brain have caused me to have premonitions about the future of technology.

Two days ago, I was carried away in vision and I saw the future of Microsoft.

Microsoft knows they shot themselves in the foot with Vista. They knew before it was released that they would have to create a demand for it since it was replacing a superior product.

Now even the government is looking into getting away from Microsoft products. Linux seems to be the most popular option. This is where the prediction comes in.

Yahoo delivers profound haymaker to Gmail and Microsoft

Yahoo announced today that they will be removing all size limits to email storage on free Yahoo email accounts. The service will begin rolling out unlimited storage in May. Yahoo is also debating a lift on storage limits for Fliker.com photo sharing accounts.

Yahoo hopes that lifting the storage limits will lead lock customers in for good.

Even if Google does match the offer, the real loser in this battle is Microsoft and Windows. If you can access your email, calendar, documents, and photos from any computer anywhere no matter what operating system you are using, Microsoft will have a difficult time finding a market for future versions of Windows.

How to send zipped files to Gmail accounts

Google filters viruses sent or received through Gmail by using a heavy handed approach to filtering. Rather than scanning each email for viruses, they simply prevent people from sending or receiving files with .exe extensions, even if they are in a zipped folder.

Getting around this is very simple, but you must let the recipient know what's going on.

Anytime you want to send a .zip file rename the extension. I like to just take the "p" off of the end. For example, I will name the file – file.zi. In the body of  the message I tell the recipient to add the "p" back on before trying to open the file. 

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.

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.

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.

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.