While searching around YouTube, I stumbled across my main man Marquez Brownlee’s channel and saw an unboxing of a cool gadget for all you cable-management freaks enthusiasts.

It’s called the Cable Box from BlueLounge and essentially, it’s a box that covers up your surge protector and all the power cords bulging from it. It’s pretty straightforward and makes everything behind your desk or workstation look nice and neat.

Below is the video of his unboxing of the Cable Box (make sure to subscribe to Marquez’s channel and follow him on twitter @MKBHD)

Google, Google, And More Google

Google I/O Conference is this week, and the giant has pulled no punches with its announcements. One of which is Google TV. A set-top box with Android guts and the ability to download mobile apps, but made to view television shows, movies, and video anywhere they are found on the web. Got an Android phone (or an iphone, touch or pad), well you can get an app that will allow you to control your Google box over wifi.

Speaking of Android, Google also used the Conference also let loose the new Android “Froyo” mobile OS that’s fully Flash compatible and is claimed to run laps around the current iPhone OS (the summer will be HOT when Apple drops their new iphone OS 4.0 this June).

Speaking of Apple, Google has also announced a cloud-based service that will allow Android phones to live stream itunes music uploaded to the cloud. That is in direct competition with Apple that plans to announce its own itunes cloud media service as a result of buying and shutting down the LaLa music site that allowed you to upload, download and buy itunes compatible music and access it via the web.

If you’ve had enough Google for this update, then TOO BAD, because Google I/O also took the time to announce that Google Wave, the online communicating, sharing, collaboration, and networking service is live and open to the public. So if you are looking for a way to meet with your group that’s spread out over the country, or just want to share some pictures with Grandma in real time, you now don’t need an invite to use wave (but you will need either Google Chrome, Apple Safari, or Mozilla FireFox browsers in order to use Wave…sorry Microsoft Internet Explorer users *sad face*)

It seems as if Big Brother Google is in Full effect!

If your company generally operates exclusively online then you essentially have two choices when it comes to alternatives to in-house servers. For an established company that has stable growth, their best option is definitely dedicated hosting. If you are a start up though, then you should go with cloud hosting. Depending on what you are looking for these two options can differ greatly and one must be smart when choosing which hosting option to go with.

The Cloud Option
If you are relying heavily on the web for most of your business but are still in the start up phase of your company when downtime has the ability to kill you then you should consider cloud. One major advantage of cloud is that it can easily deal with growth and keep your company active at all times.
The best description of cloud hosting is that it is a rental service. You are renting space on a virtual server much in the same way you rent an apartment or a condo. You are able to adjust your required level of space as the size of your business goes. You are not tied down to a specific level of service. Cloud hosting can be adjusted as required in order to accommodate the traffic levels you are receiving. Also you have the ability to choose which operating system you prefer. If you prefer using a windows or a linux system you have that option. This gives cloud users the same flexibility as those using a dedicated host but with flexible billing along with API server configuration.
All this does not mean that you can just flick on a switch and let your site coast. Your IT team will still have to manage the cloud package to make sure that it is optimized for your site. As traffic fluctuates the configurations will as well. This will be familiar to most IT professionals since it is most likely what they are doing now.

Dedicated hosting
Dedicated hosting is when a company leases one or more servers in order to control the work completely. There are 3 advantages to a dedicated package.
For one, your data center is a stable and secure location. This will lower your hardware costs. You won’t have to spend money on housing space or power for the servers since they are off site.
Two, you have complete control over the contents of the server. The server holds only the information you want it to. You therefore have complete control of the bandwidth on that server. Your load times should not be affected by traffic level unless you allow it.
Third, you can adjust and customize your servers’ performance to fit your level of technology.
Why you might chose dedicated hosting:
- A key component of your business is hosting based
- You are an established, large scale business
- You would prefer not dedicate valuable resources to on-site servers
- E commerce or the internet are essential to your business strategy

If you are a company that is ecommerce focused or are running an advertising network then dedicated hosting is probably the preferred option. Online advertisers place banners across thousands of websites. If their ads go down the sites will not get paid and that leads to loss of clients.
If you are using a customized content management system then dedicate hosting is most likely your best option. This will be beneficial for companies that have online inventories. If you are processing thousands of queries or even orders every minute, down time could be the difference between prospering and closing shop.

Article by Charles Homes who is a consultant at Hosting.com, for more info check out their Dedicated Servers

Bit.ly Shows Off Their Revamped Site
image via: InterAwesome

Those of us who are heavy into sharing links via social networking sites should be pleased to know that the popular URL shortening site Bit.ly has done a revamp that includes automatically shortening URL’s (before you have to click ‘shorten’), and adding more functionality like quickly searching your short link history and recovering deleted links. They’ve also added more real-time tracking and analytics so you can obsess over how many people are clicking your links up-to-the-second.

Google Touches Up Desktop & Mobile Search Pages
image via: BloodHoudBlog.com

Google has added a left side search optimization bar to both its desktop AND its mobile search page. It’s similar to the current bar at the top of the search page that has the ‘image, web, videos, etc. options; but with more options that will enable you to further zero in on the actual results you were looking for. It reminds me of the Bing search engine by Microsoft, or eBay’s search options. Either way, I think it’s a nice addition, especially to the mobile page. You could for instance narrow your search without repeatedly changing your initial search words.

Scribd and Opera Jump on the HTML5 Bandwagon
image via: andyuk.net

You could say it has been a rough couple of weeks for Adobe seeing as their Flash product that has pretty much been a web developer’s must have to bring media content to the web has been loosing support in favor of HTML5, the new web language. HTML5 isn’t fully adopted and integrated yet, but recently, Apple slammed Flash and is NOT adding it to ANY of it’s mobile devices, and Microsoft sees a bright [web] future with HTML5 and is making plans for future developments around it. Slowly but surely, more and more companies are following suit. Next on that list is media sharing/publishing site Scribd, and mobile web browser platform Opera.

Scribd says it doesn’t need Flash because its content isn’t really heavy enough to need a powerful web plug-in like Flash, and Opera said that using Flash on a mobile device was similar to cooking an egg on the concrete in the sun. So both of the them are endorsing HTML5 and as a result, delivering another blow to the future of Flash.

Apple Fanboys/girls Need Love Too!
image via: Cupidtino

The new site Cupidtino (a mash-up of the ‘Cupid’ & Cupertino, CA where Apple’s HQ is located) plans to be the “hook up” site those in love with their Apple Products. In addition to just provide a place for Apple fans to date, mate, and birth entire Apple families, members will also have access of exclusive social and location-based apps for the iPhone and iPad.

I will leave you with a quote from Techcrunch, that I happen to cosign:

“On the other hand, making sure that Apple fans only date other Apple fans is a good way of stopping them from spreading their Apple fan genes to the general population, I guess. So maybe this site isn’t all bad.

That's my site...and my thumb

*In my typical, nonchalant attitude*

“It’s cool”

The wifi version has been out a little over a month and the 3G version just dropped last weekend. I decided to wait for the 3G because I knew I would be in places where free and open wifi would not be available. So I had to ride the bench while seemingly everyone else got to partake in the “firsties” enjoyment.

But my time came, and my iPad (32GB) hit my door last Friday at 1pm – Shout out to FedEx.

So instead of giving you the same features/benefits type of post everyone else has done already, I will give you my quick observations, and go into what I have done thus far with my new toy.

Observations:

- A little heavier than I thought it would be…but I like a little junk in the trunk
(see: Erykah Badu’s ‘Window Seat’ video)

- I find myself cleaning the screen often
The gadget just looks good, and the finger smudges seem to “stank it up”

- Photos, music cover art, videos and movies all look gorgeous
Nothing witty to add, just stating fact

- I think it’s cool that iPad-specific apps have settings you can change in the global settings menu in addition to app-specific settings in the app settings menu
(That makes sense in my head)

- I would like to have access to the file system
I have OCD when it comes to organization

- 50% percent of the time, the camera connection kit works 100%
I could only get the USB dongle to work and not the SD card slot version.

- AT&T 3G is just okay
But I already knew that

- I thought the lack of Flash and multi-tasking would be noticeable, but it actually isn’t
*Crosses fingers for HTML5 and a download of OS 4.0 in the fall*

- Mrs. Tech hates it
*Just wait for the “newness” to wear off sweetie*

Having said that, the first thing I did (after being forced to hook it up to a computer for basic setup) was look for iPad apps. The iPhone apps are okay on it, but I paid for an iPad, not an iPhone…so I’ll wait (step it up devs!). I went to sites like Gizmodo and TUAW to look for apps they recommended. The apps I decide to download are:

FeddlerRSS – RSS Reader
PrintCentral - Wireless printing
SplashID – Password Manager
Dictionary – Do I really have to explain?
Zinio – Digital Magazine Reader
Dropbox – Cloud Storage
Pandora – Streaming Music
Netflix – Instant movies and Queue Control
PDFReader Pro – PDF Reader
Photobucket – Online photo storage/sharing
Craigsphone – Craigslist…but nicer
eBay – Buy and sell stuff
ABC Player – watch ABC shows
Twitterrific – Twitter Client (just barely edged out TweetDeck)
Evernote – Online note storage
WordPress – Blog control
Wikipanion – Wiki stuff

Most of the above apps are free, and there are only a couple of paid apps. But none of them are more than 10 bucks, and they are WORTH IT. If the two of you who read my blog have some suggestions, hook a brotha up.

Next up was getting my email accounts, contacts and calendars set up. I use Gmail & Google Apps for all of this stuff so it was pretty easy. The only hitch is that the iPad can only synchronize ONE set of calendar/contacts via Google Sync. There are ways around it, but I’m cool for now (don’t mind going to the web for the others) and I’m hoping Google/Apple will resolve this on their own.

In the meantime and in-between time, I reorganized my iTunes Library and just synced my playlists instead of trying to sync my entire library. I also bought a movie or two (‘Aliens’ and ‘Transformers: The Movie’ (the cartoon version) just to see how they would look – Those are my two all-time favs, and I was impressed. I will be researching ways to put my movie collection (as a copy, not for resale – take that piracy!), so if you have any tips, let me know.

Last on the list was firing up the AT&T’s 3G service. Like I said before it was just “okay”, but I didn’t expect much. I just wanted it to get the job done, and so far so good. I only signed up for the 250mb plan, and based on my current usage, I could stand to upgrade to the unlimited plan. But I am gonna hold off because I feel my usage will stabilize after I get the hang of the device. Set up was a cinch and it is all done in the iPad setting menu, no registering or logging into a website to get started. You can also view your usage there as well.

So there you have it. If you have any tips, tricks, guides or comments about the iPad feel free to drop me a line.

Note: I did NOT write this entire post from my iPad…just in case you were wondering.

Cloud computing can mean many things. In the world of business, it can represent a unique opportunity to reduce the costs associated with infrastructure and can help to accomplish achieve ever greater levels of important efficiencies. These efficiencies can include not only cost reduction, but also improved access to resources and essential data. The determination as to whether cloud computing services are a good match for your particular business will of course depend the size of your enterprise, its general needs and your overall sales goals. So prior to investing in a cloud-based service, it’s vital to understand what is involved and assess how the service stacks up against your specific business model.

Hosting in the Cloud

When the concept of cloud computing is applied to web hosting, the result can be a technology that lets users scale resources on the fly, and make changes according to usage and the particular needs of the enterprise in real time. Thus, as your traffic fluctuates, the hosting package can be adjusted to ensure maximum efficiency and minimum waste. This flexibility allows businesses to reduce overhead by only investing in the hosting power they actually need, without incurring downtime or overage charges by driving servers beyond capacity.

Accordingly, a cloud-based hosting package is tailor-made for a technology-based company which (1) uses mission-critical web-based technology, and (2) is wary of over-investing in expensive hosting solutions in case of a burst of bandwidth need, but (3) expects the possibility of seasonal or business cycle spikes resulting in increased usage of server space or power. Such businesses are generally web-based, so downtime is unacceptable and unaffordable. Cloud hosting allows such businesses to utilize a virtual server on a lease agreement, and this server can then be scaled as needed whenever business needs grow or fluctuate.

Many providers of cloud services also provide businesses with a choice of hosting platforms (Linux or Windows), and offers the kind of self-managed flexibility which is generally found in dedicated hosting packages or other enterprise-level services. When investigating business cloud hosting services, it is important to have such user-managed options as flexible billing and user-accessible server configuration controls through either an API or a web-based control panel interface, so that your IT personnel can access and manage the options of your cloud-based hosting.

Storage in the Cloud

When the cloud computing concept is applied to data back-up, cloud storage is the result. Cloud storage solutions can offer businesses a high level of data storage performance, which is scalable to a very high degree. This type of cloud storage can be utilized in three essential ways: (1) to back-up essential enterprise data, (2) to give employees easy data access from anywhere that is connected to the internet, without the use of slow VPN technology, and (3) to easily and conveniently host all types of media.

If your business stores a great deal of data on your own servers as back-up, migrating that data to cloud storage may be beneficial. This strategy gives your employees easy access to essential files from outside of your company network, as well as reducing costs of local network administration, and the cost of maintaining your own servers. And if your business powers its web presence with rich media, cloud storage is likely to greatly ameliorate the bandwidth costs required to serve that media to the end user.

As you might guess, cloud storage generally is not the technology of choice for sensitive data. As a rule, anything secure and confidential is best kept out of the cloud. But for all publicly-available files and media, cloud storage offers about as much security as a standard hosting solution.

Business in the Cloud

If your company is highly technology based, and relies on a strong web presence, cloud computing could be a great choice for you, especially if you experience unpredictable bandwidth usage. As long as you plan for the security challenges that are implicit in cloud computing, it can help your business safely reduce overhead while meeting mission critical goals. Judge wisely which needs are best met with in-house servers, and which can be outsourced to the cloud, and your enterprise can benefit from the cost reduction and increased efficiencies of cloud computing.

Article by Charles Homes who is a consultant at Hosting.com, for more info check out their Dedicated Servers

…Of their TV service subscriptions that is.

Last year (like that was a long time ago), I posted a story about what it would take for me to cut my Cable TV service and switch to TV over IP. Looks like I am not the only one contemplating the switch. A study conducted by Convergence Consulting Group estimates that 800,000 U.S. households had cut such services by the end of 2009, with the number expected to double by the end of 2011.

With the progression of network-connected and web-streaming devices such as TV’s, Blu-Ray players, gaming systems, and special set-top boxes, it’s becoming easier for your average consumer to enjoy quality programming via ethernet cable or wireless router rather than a coaxial cable or cable/satellite set-top box.

Even still, I think the reason why the number is ONLY 800,000 is because it is somewhat convenient to call your local cable/satellite provider and have them come out and install everything and subscribe to a insanely expensive TV subscription package versus buying your own equipment, hooking it all up and piecing together you own internet media package.

I just hope that people break out of their comfort zone and realize that they actually have more control over their programming than they think. When more people realize that they aren’t just tied to one main-stream TV provider or another (hopefully via this site *plug*) they will start doing the research and jumping on the TV service cutting bandwagon.

I figure since I do ALLOT (I know it’s not a word) of networking via twitter, I’d throw up my twitter biz card (read: I was sleeping on this neat little twitter app until now).

The Low Down:
It’s a pretty quick way to share contact information via twitter. Once your twitter biz card is created, all you do is send a contact (via twitter mention, reply or DM) your card by adding the hashtag #twtbizcard – The app does the rest.

For example: @TwitterUser Nice to meet you last night at the Bmore tweetup! #twtbizcard – That will send the subject of your tweet your bizcard

You can browse all of your contacts, create contact groups, and embed your card to your favorite site (I am using mine on my contact page for this blog.

TwtBizCard also has a mobile site where you can view, edit, and send your cards without accessing twitter or a twitter client. It is mobile site (not an app), so that means twtbizcard.com is viewable on any platform.

I wouldn’t say it takes the place of traditional business cards, but I will definately co-sign on the idea that is a pretty quick and handy way to share and store all of your twitter contacts without fumbling through actual business cards or twitter client!

For more information, or to view other neat apps, visit: twtapps.com