Is Your Name Alan?

Well its both an amazing fact and a sad one — only 12 humans have ever walked on the moon, or any other body than the Earth before. And all 12 have been American Men. All have been white/Caucasian. The lucky ones have been:
Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Pete Conrad, Alan Bean, Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell, David Scott, James Irwin, John W. Young, Charles Duke, Eugene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt

An how weird is it that two are named Alan?

Question: Will Refrigerants Kill the Environment?

Refrigerants have come under a lot of fire lately -- from full scale fridges to bar faucets cooling fridges, the current popular refrigerant freon is bad for the ozone layer. Although the latest fridges use the safe HFC-134a, there are millions and millions of older models out there which are dangerous with the freon stuff. Have you heard about this potential trouble? If so, leave a comment.

Bye Bye Cars (and Trucks): Vehicles Which Are Going, Going, Gone

Thanks to CNN Money for listing some future disappearing acts for American cars.
Starting with Chrysler, here are the vehicles which have silently disappeared or fill go away in the coming years. The Chrysler Pacifica crossover, the Dodge Magnum wagon and the PT Cruiser. Add to that the end of the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen.

As far as GM, we see a more wide reaching loss including several key brands:

• Hummer - Gone 2010
• Saturn - Gone 2011
• Saab - Gone 2010

Question: How Will Tech Revolutionalize Insurance?

It may not be obvious but I see technology revolutionizing the insurance industry in the future. I'm talking about every kind of motor vehicle insurance from car insurance to rv insurance to motorcycle insurance. How? Easy -- on board GPS and other black box like devices will allow insurance companies to know whether the driver drives fast, recklessly, or more than they say they do. Why would anyone agree to this? Lower premiums!

Solar Power Mini Applications

OK, maybe you can blanket your house or car with enough solar panels to really take care of all your energy needs. The technology really isn’t there yet. But what about instead of this all-at-once solution, we start to see mini-solar power applications. Need an example? Well how about a cover for your cell phone with solar panels? It could charge your phone and keep you from having to plug it in to the grid? And how about jacket with solar film on it which captures power for future use?

Question: Is the Condo Boom Dead?

Have you seen the glut of condo deals in your local town? I mean, you don't have to live in Miami or Atlanta to see the glut in condos. What is going on? Well its a combination of over building and also the option alternatives, like cheap hotels in Miami. Who is buying a condo these days? Here's the real issue -- when a condo development is only 10% occupied and the recession is on, why would anyone else buy a condo there? The risk is too great that the condo will never be sold out and then your property value is gone.

Gas Prices Go Back up… Buy a Volt!

Let’s face it — gas prices are going back up. You better get on the waiting list now for a new Chevy Volt. The Chevy Volt is the all new electric car GM is introducing next year. But with the company’s current financial condition, will they pull the plug? I mean, it costs a lot of money to introduce a new product to market and the Volt won’t be cheap. Let’s hope that GM will continue to push the envelope on this one and make the car a reality.

Question: What is Zeno?

Have you seen this Zeno personal device at the store? Its advertised as the best acne treatment and as the world’s most effective, safe and easy-to-use, over-the-counter blemish device. How does it work? Well it heats up your skin in the area of the blemish for a very brief amount of time, but just long enough to ki8ll all the bacteria causing the blemish. Now that's interesting science -- does it work? If any of you have tried it, please leave a comment below.

What Will Sony Do to Win?

Did you know that the Sony PlayStation 3 is still selling for a loss. Yes, its true! For every PS3 Sony sells, its actually losing money. According to the Wall Street Journal, it now costs Sony about $448.73 to build a new PS3. That’s more than its $399 selling price. But even crazier is that a few years ago (with the 1st generation model) it cost upwards of $690.23 for each unit. Why would Sony sell PS3s for a loss? Here are some reasons:

1. It is competing with rich Microsoft (who can afford losses) and cheap Nintendo and needs to be competitive.
2. Sony makes a profit still on the games, so its a case of the loss leader.
3. Sony wanted to get the Blu-Ray player popular and include it as built-in functionality.

Question: Do You Have an Exterior TV?

Do you have a tv outside of your house? I mean, do you have one on your patio or deck or in a screened in room? You'd be surprised how many people who have outdoor living areas install flat screen TVs to watch. It is quite a strange piece of outdoor furniture but a small wall mounted TV could be just the perfect accessory in your outdoor living situation. Just make sure to keep those TVs safe from water -- have them under a cover overhead or in a protective case.

Question: Is the New iPod Shuffle a Dud?

The iPod Shuffle was first announced on January 11, 2005 with the latest and current third generation model being introduced on March 11, 2009. But is the new Shuffle selling well? It couldn't get much smaller but somehow Apple did it but at a sacrifice of the volume controls. They moved the volume controls to the ear buds until they gave in and added an external adapter so people could use other ear buds. Did you buy a 3rd gen iPod Shuffle? If you did, do you really like it or is it just so?

Question: When Will Apple Open iTunes?

Not Open the store... they did that years ago. No, open the product for other MP3 players other than the iPod. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to plug-in a non-iPod to your PC and sync it with iTunes? I mean, music to me is like a fat burner -- I listen to it when I run and when I workout. It would be nice to be able to use my other MP3 players to load my MP3s and b able to listen to them more often and in more places.

Question: What is Rotoscoping?

Rotoscoping is an old animation technique where animators trace over live-action film movement frame by frame and turn it into animated films. Its the technique we all saw in that A-Ha video for Take On Me. Recently it has been used in a little known movie called A Scanner Darkly starring Keanu Reeves. Google this term and check out some cool videos using it.

Question: What is a Razor?

A Razor scooter is a piece of equipment which came out about a decade ago. Its a compact aluminum Kick scooter made by the RazorUSA, based in Cerritos, California. The razor is popular among college students for cruising around campus and amount beach people around panama city rentals. Why is it so popular? Its light weight and ultra portable, but when you unfold it, you can travel along at speed several times that of walking or even running.

Question: How Much Data is Out There?

Here are some examples of the use of terabytes to describe data sizes in different fields of technology, science and arts

• Library data - The U.S. Library of Congress Web Capture team has claimed that "As of May 2009, the Library has collected almost 100 terabytes of data".
• Online data bases - Ancestry.com claims approximately 600 TB of genealogical data with the inclusion of US Census data from 1790 to 1930.
• Computer hardware - Hitachi introduced the world's first one terabyte hard disk drive in 2007.
• Internet traffic - In 1993, total Internet traffic amounted to approx. 100 TB for the year. As of June 2008^[update], Cisco Systems estimated Internet traffic at 160 TB/s (which assuming to be statistically constant comes to 5 Zettabytes for the year).^[5]
• Social networks - As of May 2009, Yahoo! Groups had "40 terabytes of data to index"
• Video - Released in 2009, the 3D animated film Monsters vs Aliens used 100 TB of storage during development

Question: Which Vacation Websites Do You Use?

The Internet can be a very helpful tool when planning just about anything, but when it comes to planning vacation, the Internet can not only save you money but also expand your horizons. For example, I know all about Daytona Beach and Atlanta. I've been there many times and know what there is to do. But where else around me is a good vacation spot? Who knows? This is where city-specific websites provide useful information about vacation spots. From Gatlinburg vacations to St. Louis vacations, there are websites for virtually every major American city which provides local info and deals.

Question: Why Do I Need a PS3 Remote?

Well if all you want to do is play games on your PS3, then you probably don't have to worry about it. But if you want to watch Blu-Ray movies with the convenience and familiarity OF STANDALONE PLAYERS, then the PS3 remote is your need. Here's the good news, before you go out and buy the official one, you can actually use any Universal Blu-Ray remote to work with the PS3!

Question: Is Gaming Hurting My Health?

Are you a little worried about the effect on gaming is having on your health. I mean, if you are player 30 hours a week and avoiding exercise, you could be in trouble. Well before you give up and start searching the web for a good life insurance quote, here's some simple advice: Get out more! The gym and the great outdoors can help turn things around. If you are having a little trouble breaking free, take your PSP to the gym with you and play it while you bike 10 miles on the recumbent bike!

Question: Can I Play 7-Players at Once with PS3?

Sure, online you can play dozens of games with massive multiple. But if you want to do it old school and have all 7 of those people in your living room, then there are only a few games which support it. Here is a partial list:

• 3 on 3 NHL Arcade (6 players)
• All-Pro Football 2K8
• Bomberman Ultra
• Buzz! Quiz TV (requires 2 dongles for 5-8 players)
• FIFA 08, FIFA 09
• FIFA Street 3
• NBA 2K7, NBA 2K8, NBA 2K9
• NHL 08, NHL 09
• NHL 2K8, NHL 2K9
• PixelJunk Racers
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2008, Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
• WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2008, WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009, WWE Legends of Wrestlemania

Question: Will the PS3 Ever Catch Up in Sales?

The sales of Sony's PS3 has been the laggard in the seventh generation console wars. As of March 31, 2009, Sony has sold 22,730,000 PlayStation 3s. So is it a failure? Well maybe not -- it definitely has a lot of power and it should be available for many years to come as a leading graphics and processing powerhouse. As it gets older, the price will drop and more and more games will become available, perhaps creating a snowball effect.

Question: What is Wiiitis?

Wiiitis? Never heard of it? Well I guess it is a good thing. Wiiitis is a term some people are using to refer to over-use injuries attributed to playing the Nintendo Wii. Playing too much Wii Sports Tennis and your elbow hurts? Well its not Tennis-elbow -- no, its Wiiitis. Do you have any Wii related harm?

Question: How Much is too Much Gaming?

Feel like you are living on red bull, Cheetos and diet pills? Do you rarely see the sun and stay up all night long? Well you might be playing too much video games. There is no well accepted target because it has a lot to do with age, variety, other activities and health, but a good target would be 1-2 hours a day as an upper limit. Now of course many MMPORPG can spend up to 12 hours playing non-stop, but that should be the exception, not the rule.

Question: How Many XBox 360s have been Sold?

As of May 28, 2009, Microsoft has sold an amazing 30,000,000 XBox 360s around the world. The most recent numbers are 30.2 million as of March 31, 2009. How does that compare with the Nintendo Wii? Well not very well -- the Nintendo Wii, which has only recently come our of perpetual back order, has sold 50.39 million units as of the same date (March 31, 2009). Will Microsoft give up on the 360 and come up with a next generation model?

Question: How Can Nanotech Help Your Skin?

Silly question, right? Well skin care has been taken high tech thanks to nanotechnology. Microfiber is a fiber with less than 1 denier per filament and its advancement has lead to better skin cleaners. From the Biore strip to the microfiber facecloth, these advances lead to pulling more dirt and dead skin from your body and improves the overall affect of your skin.

Question: What is the G-1?

Have you heard of the T-Mobile G1? Maybe you've heard it called by one of its other names... How about "Android" or "Google-phone"?

The T-Mobile G1 is the first phone to have the Google-sponsored Android operating platform on it. Android is the open source mobile computing platform developed to bring a higher level of connectivity and compatibility to the mobile phone market. Check it out!

Question: Home Gym or Fitness Club?

if you are looking for high tech equipment, you would have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to construct and stock a home gym with the basics. From cross-ramps to treadmills, these pieces of high tech workout equipment is not cheap. That's the allure of joining a gym -- they do all the investment and you just pay $30 a month for use of it. Sure if all you wanted was free weights, you could do it at home. But if you want high tech equipment with heart rate monitors, video screens, and customized programs, you need to go to the gym. Even with the best weight loss supplement products you need good equipment to get the results you want. Go to the gym!

Question: Did Dial-Up Internet Die Yet?

Dial-up Internet access over phone modem may seem like an antiquated technology, but for millions of Americans living in rural communities its still the only show in town. Why? Well many rural communities do not have cable or DSL access to the Internet because the telecommunication companies just don't offer access. In these cases, people have to depend on dial up modems over their traditional phone lines.

Question: What's the Future of the Banner Ad?

For all their presence on the Internet, Banner Ads aren't very successful when it comes to advertising. Text link ads are more popular by a long ways. So what will happen? Well we are starting to see more interactive banner ads. Click here and play a mini-game in the ad! Sure they are fun to "do 5 push-ups", but how will they sell Pepsi or the best diet pills? That's the missing link right now -- turning interactive ads into brand and product sellers.

Question: Will Facebook Start to Charge?

That's the question at hand in a new Slate.com article "A Radical Business Plan for Facebook". With over 100 million "active users" around the world, Facebook could make up to $300 million by charging its most ardent users. Would it be worth it? Could Facebook make money from charging its users and not scare them off? Its a big risk but eventually the way of making money on the Internet needs to more closely align with the way to people make money offline: 1) Provide a useful service. 2) Charge for it.

Question: What is the Sportster?

The Sportster is the name of the entry level model of Harley Davidson motorcycle. It starts at an affordable $6999. That's a small price to pay to own a piece of the Harley Davidson legend. The Sportster is a small bike which lends itself to ease of use with new bikers and smaller frame bikers. Now before you go out an get one, make sure you get the training you need and get your license! The last thing you need is a visit from the San Jose motorcycle accident attorney when you get in a wreck! Be safe out there.

Question: What Other E-Book Readers Exist?

Sure now you know about the different versions of the Kindle, but what about the other e-book readers in the market? Well here is a comprehensive list from Wikipedia:

• COOL-ER ™ (2009) by Coolreader
• eSlick by Foxit Software (2009)
• PRS-700BC Reader Digital Book by Sony (October 2008)
• Digital Reader 1000 by iRex Technologies (2008)
• Ganaxa GeR2 by Ganaxa (2007)
• Cybook Gen3 by Bookeen (2007)
• Hanlin V3 eReader by Jinke (2007)
• Sony Reader by Sony (2006)
• iLiad by iRex Technologies (2006)
• Librié by Sony (2005)
• Hanlin V2 Jinke (2005)

Question: Where Can I Recycle CFC Bulbs?

CFC Light bulbs seem like a good idea but what about all the rumors about their dangerous contents and bizarre handling instruction. Are you or aren't you allowed to throw old ones away in the trash? Well don't worry -- this is Progress lighting in action. You can now recycle your old CFC light bulbs at the Home Depot. Just bring your bulbs to the entrance and put them in the provided baggies. Drop them in the bin and you are done! No worries about dangerous trash pollution or hording them at home! Bravo Home Depot.

Question: What is the Kindle DX?

Thought you already knew all about the new Kindle -- the Kindle 2? Well there is a second Kindle out there and its called the Kindle DX. The Kindle DX has a 9.7 inch display which is substantially larger than the regular Kindle 2. Why? So you can read newspapers and magazines better! With a grey scale 1200 x 824 pixel resolution, the Kindle DX is the biggest Kindle out there. Like the iPhone, it has an accelerometer which can tell which way you are holding it -- to automatically rotate pages between landscape and portrait. Cool huh? Do you think this is the future of the newspaper or magazine subscription?

Question: How Can I Move my CD Jukebox?

If you're like me, you have one of those 1990s creations called the CD-Disc changer. I have one with 200 disk capacity. Cool right? Well it was cool back in the 1990s -- pre-digital music era. Now its a relic. What if you still have one and want to move it? Well don't just stick it in some moving boxes. No, you need to be more careful with it. First take out all the disks. I know its not quick or easy but if you try to move it with the disks in you can get the mechanism damaged!

Question: What's New with the Kindle?

The Amazon Kindle 2 was released a few months ago. So what's so different about it than the last one? The Kindle 2 has over the original improved battery life, twenty percent faster page-refreshing functionality, a text-to-speech option to read the text out loud, and is even thinner than the original. The Kindle 2 also has 2 GB of internal memory which is a 5 fold improvement over the original. Got it?

Question: What's Next in Video Game Systems?

The next big thing to come out of E3 this week is the promise of controller-free video game playing in the future. You might have thought that the PS3 controller is such a great leap ahead from the Atari 2600 knobs and buttons, but in the future you won't even have to use a hand held controller. Instead you will just move your body around the a camera and sensors will put you into the game!

Question: Are You Backed up from 2008?

Have you backed up your computer files since January 1? Backing up your computer files is not something we think about everyday, but its the sort of thing that can ruin for week (or year) if you find yourself on the wrong side of the equation. Losing all your data on a crash is horrible -- just think about all the data you have stored. I recommend you backup critical files once everyday 2 weeks. These critical files should be the ones which you change or add to on a daily or weekly basis. For static files -- those that you don't every change -- they can be backed up annually.

Question: What is the Future of Personal Safety Devices?

I see more and more specialized personal safety devices to keep you safe and sound. Think about your home -- you certainly have a smoke detector and chances are you have a CO2 detector. Now what about a lead or asbestos sensor in your older home? That could help people avoid mesothelioma. Outside I like personal UV detectors -- you wear them at a ballgame or at the park and consistently know how much UV radiation is raining down on you.

Question: Should I Buy That 1 TB HD?

I don't think so... well maybe. Think about two warring camps -- Storage Needs vs. Storage Capacity. For the past decade, home computers have always lagged in the storage capacity and RAM department. As new applications were developed, computers had to catchup to storage ability (for an affordable price). Here's a list of applications and storage needs:

• Word Processing - 10 kB to 1 MB
• Digital Photos - 100 kB to 10 MB
• Digital Music - 500 kB to 5 MB
• Digital Videos - 1 MB to 100 MB

It was always a struggle to have enough storage. Right now my old computer only has 140 GB of storage. That's not enough to store hours of video for editing, but you can easily buy 1 TB or storage for $200. You can buy a new computer with 2 TB of storage for $1500 or less. That's a lot of storage. So is the race over? No way! There will be something else in the works... what will it be?

Question: Should I Buy a Roomba?

Well that all depends what kind of flooring and floor layout that you have at home. I mean, do you have wide open spaces, like an open layout or is your home more closed in with smaller rooms? If its the latter, you should probably reconsider. Also do you have wood flooring in multiple rooms, easily linked, or does your flooring switch up every room? The more friendly your layout is to the Roomba, the better it is a candidate.

Question: Do You Have Technitus?

Technitus is a port-monteau, meaning its a combination of two or more words. In this case, its technology and -itus, meaning disease. Its the name of my pal Chilli's website, Technitus.com. Won't you visit his site and leave a message. It seems he is too lazy to keep his website current. Encourage this guy to start posting again!

Question: Do You Shop Sky Mall?

You know what I'm talking about -- that magazine filled with high tech stuff that sits in your seat back pocket on airplanes. Have you ever bought anything from there? Not me -- it all seems a little too expensive -- like a flying Sharper Image. But some of the stuff in there is cool -- from futurists light wands used for hair loss treatments to inflatable backyard projector screens, the stuff in these catalogs is far out!

Question: Do Plasma TVs Still Break so Often?

It used to be, a few years ago, that a service plan was almost mandatory when buying a plasma TV. The technology just wasn't mature enough to be totally reliable. Add that fact to the extremely high price first adopters faced, and you really didn't want to take any chances with your $6000 investment. But fast forward 5 years and I think Plasma technology has matured to the point where you don't have to buy an extended service plan. You might consider it if you want the piece of mind, but the chances of facing a serious problem out of warranty is a lot less.

Question: How Will Google Rule the Mobile Internet?

The mobile Internet is really where the future is at. More and more people will access the Internet via mobile devices and one day that will be the way most people access the web. So how will Google capitalize on this? Well imagine a search which allows you to get the pricing of stuff you see in stores just by pointing your phone at it. From the best diet pills to the best price on a new dress, Google could combine imaging technology with search and price comparison to make an application which would tell you whether what you are looking at was a good deal.

Question: Why Not Have a Static URL?

Why not? When you don't want to be shut down! URL Shifting is when a website gets a new URL regularly in order to avoid legal action, become overly popular, or be perma-linked to too much. One example is the online TV and Movies website TV Links. Their domain is constantly changing. In order to find it, just Google it:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22TV+Links%22

Question: What is High Tech Weight Loss?

I recently read an article on WebMD about the subject of high tech weight loss. No we're not talking about making a diet pill with nano-robots in it -- we're talking about using high tech tools to help people lose weight. One popular application is the iPhone (and iPod Touch). There are apps out there which help you figure out the caloric value of virtually any food in the world. Just tap tap tap and add that food to a daily digital food journal. This sort of thing can help you keep track of what you eat in fun and friendly way.

Question: How Big is the New iPod Shuffle?

The new Apple iPod Shuffle sure is small but exactly how small is it? Well according to the Apple.com website, the new iPod Shuffle is 1.8 inches high, 0.7 inches wide, and only a measly 0.3 inch deep and that's including the clip. So tiny -- so how much does it weigh? Less than 0.4 ounces! That's less than your average chicken egg! Think about that one for a while.

Question: Why Should I Use Virus-Detection Software?

Well, why wouldn't you? I guess many people are scared away because they think it will cost a lot of money. Guess what? You can get great virus protection from free programs! My favorite is the free version of AVG anti-virus protection. Its like having colon cleansers for your hard drive -- they keep your computer's input and output clean from nasty bugs and protects your home network and more. If you don't use virus protection now, you might wake up to find yourself sorry. Get protected now!

Question: What Could Possibly Come Next from the Shuffle?

Come on people -- what you Apple Inc. possibly do next time for the iPod Shuffle? I mean, they shrunk the iPod Shuffle in half with this latest change and for that they had to remove the song controls from the iPod itself and onto the headphone cord. How can you get smaller than that? What could possible be next?

[Photo from Apple.com]

Question: How Do You Make Stuff Fireproof?

How do you make stuff fireproof? Easy -- you coat it in non-flammable chemicals! From eHow, I found this recipe for fire resistant liquids: To one gallon of water, add about nine ounces of 20 Mule Team Borax and 4 ounces of boric acid. Cool huh? Now you can try it at home. But just make sure you try this on unimportant stuff like a rag or paper -- if you really want fireproof stuff for safety concerns like No seriously, baby bedding, leave it to the professionals and buy it that way!

Question: Should I Backup My Webmail?

Should I backup my webmail? Well its not something I do, but, then again, I don't keep any important or sensitive data on my web based email account. Secondly, if you use one of the major services like GMail or Yahoo, then you probably don't have to worry about these companies folding and dropping their service. So why backup? Well in case the unimaginable happens, of course. Backup once a year or so and keep all your old emails safe. You can find instructions on how to do it with GMail, Yahoo, or virtually any other webmail service on the web.

Question: Will Fingerprints Become the New Norm?

What will the future of identity theft protection look like? Well certainly you can forget social security numbers or even secret code words when it comes to security. I think we will start to genuinely see the rise of fingerprint and iris technology when it comes to security. We will start to see finger print reading machines come standard with computer and laptops. These devices will be linked directly to the web and allow you to authenticate your access with your print. Can you see it?

Question: How Will We Use GPS inthe Future?

I was recently on a business trip and I had to rent a car. Low and behold, the car rental company was renting GPS for use in the car. Great idea right? Well, I've got a better one. How about new GPS which are really thin to make them ultra-portable? Its more than a GPS -- its actually a personal map you can carry around all the time. Put in your car, your rental car, in your hand when you walk down the street, whatever! Its small enough to take anywhere!

Question: What's the Future of Credit Cards?

Well I think the future is already here in the form of "no signature" or autopay cards. These cards you just wave over the POS credit card machine and your account number is wirelessly transmitted to it. We see this technology is in the so-called "Blink" feature of Chase cards. In the future you won't even have to take the card out of your pocket -- RFID technology in products will mean you can bag up your purchase and walk out the front door. As you leave, the purchase will be recorded wirelessly!

Question: How Do I Make a New Place to Store My iTunes Music?

The following is how to create a central music library (different than the iTunes default):

1. First you create a new location on your computer or external disc. Just make a new folder.
2. Then start iTunes and go to Preferences > Advanced > Change. When you get the Change Music Folder Location window, find the new folder wherever you create it and select.
3. Also in Preferences > Advanced, make sure these options are enabled:
1. - Keep iTunes Music Folder Organized (keeps meta-data on track number, etc)
1. - Copy Files to iTunes Music Folder When Adding to Library (copies the files, instead of just making a pointer / shortcut)
4. When you have created the new folder, you will need to copy all the music and meta-data over. iTunes can do this for you -- under Preferences > Advanced > Consolidate Library. This will copy the tracks from the old folder to the new folder. Once you've confirmed the copy, go and delete the old folder.

Question: Who Will Replace Jobs?

Who will replace Steve Jobs as the Head of Apple Inc., when he eventually retires? Well it has to be someone as visionary and risk-non-avert as Jobs. The last thing we want is someone on top who just uses a rubber stamp on new products and designs. Philip W. Schiller seems to have the best chance at the top job. He was behind some of the best computer ideas at Apple like the iMac.