My Top Prediction For 2011 - Death of the Internet

Image via Wikipedia

Happy New Year! As with most blogs and podcasts, it is time for some new year predictions:

1) Net Neutrality will be the biggest story of 2011. With sites like Netflix and Youtube gaining popularity, more people will be ready to cut their cable services and stick with their broadband Internet connection to deliver their entertainment content. The problem is broadband services are controlled by the same people who give us regular cable, and that service is far too profitable for the cable companies to give up.

The problem of Net Neutrality is a far larger one than anyone could imagine. This problem alone could wipe out the Internet as we know it. Basically the problem has to do with the cost of distribution, according the the economics of the Internet it costs more to deliver content to more people. This is not the old days where a station would broadcast a signal and all the antennas within range would watch the show. Now to watch a show on the Internet bits need to move along a pipe which is metered on mobile devices, but not on home connections. This would all change according to new Net Neutrality guidelines developed by the cable companies.

Imagine having to pay per page you view. Pay $.05 for that Youtube video, or $.02 for the sports article. At the end of the month your paying for every page view which could amount to much more than the normal monthly subscription cost. Within a month or two people will notice the change in their bill and wonder what is going on and begin to make changes to their Internet usage immediately sites like Facebook will suffer massive user declines and Youtube will become a ghost town.

At first people will get upset and try to do something about this outrage. Companies like Google will continue with their effort to provide broadband to the masses, and new opportunities will be there for companies that can give the people what they want. 2011 will be a pivotal year for Net Neutrality as profits remain stagnate and economic recovery is still far off on the horizon. In the end it will be the cable companies that will win to keep their share of the pie leaving the rest of us wondering if we will ever have our cake and eat it too.

Don't get me wrong, I believe an open Internet is what our world needs most for communication and innovation, but at this point I don't see any way out of this mess.

A Wii Christmas, A Notebook Computer And A Camera

Santa arrived Christmas morning with a Wii for my son. Based on reviews I wasn't sure if this console would be a good fit for him, but he took to it quickly. We were playing tennis and had a great time, my 3-year old daughter even got into the mix. I think the negative reviews I read about the Wii came from serious gamers frustrated with the Wii's graphics.








The other big gift for my son was an Acer Notebook computer. Sites like Starfall make the Internet an educational tool for my 6-year old son to learn to read. So far I'm impressed with the battery life, my son is able to use the computer for 6 hours before needing to be recharged. There are simply no complaints as long as the user realized this computer is good for surfing the Internet and working on some Word documents. The small screen size makes it frustrating to work with images and excel files.








The third geek gift for my son was a Crayola digital camera. It's durable and simple to use, all he has to do is turn it on and start shooting. He is getting a kick out of taking photos of the family, maybe he'll turn into a photo bug like his Geek Dad.

I'm not expecting much int the terms of image quality or composition, but I am excited to see what images come out of the little camera.

The World's Coolest 450 Slide Document

Here it is. All I have to say is WOW! I found this video on Mashable. I'm a fan of Google Docs, but I had no idea you could do something like this. Apparently the entire animation was created by the free Doc service in about 3 days.

Mark Z - Person of the Year

This week Mark Zuckerberg was named Person of the Year by Time Magazine. I am both excited and disappointed by this choice. On one level I am happy to see the mainstream media embrace the tech world, I think it help validates the industry and helps lift it from fun website to a global brand.

On the other side I wish Time would choose a better ambassador instead of Mark. I find his company to be unscrupulous with the way they sell user data to third parties, praying the the users who think they are contributing their content to a walled garden. If you are among the foolish that think what you write on Facebook is protected, then you need to visit Your Open Book.org. Just type something generic like, "I hate my boss" and you'll have a long list of people who write nasty things about their boss on Facebook.

Here is a short list of influencial tech people I would choose over Mark Z:

1) Steve Jobs - The iPad was one of the top products of the year. As CEO of Apple Steve's legacy is more secure than ever.

2) Eric Schmidt - Google's CEO is controversial, but their stand-off with China and other significant tech creations are changing the world in a positive way.

3) Jeff Bezos - I'm a huge Amazon fan and I think they're just getting better. The Kindle is a big hit that looks to change book publishing forever.

Flying High With A Canon 7D

As an amateur photographer I'm always looking for a new angle, and no angle is more unique than an arial photograph. I recently became interested in aerial photography when I saw a Youtube video showing a Canon 7D strapped to a model helicopter. The footage shot on the camera was video which made it even more impressive.

I started to research the cost of such a toy...uh,  tool for taking aerial shots. It turns out these helicopters can cost thousands of dollars! They also take some practice to become proficient, especially if you're going to trust is with your $1,600 camera + $1,000 lens. I guess I'll have to stay on the ground for now. If you have any experience with this type of photography please write me an email and share, I think this stuff is really cool.

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Groupon, Hotpot, and Google - A Killer Trilogy

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Google and Groupon are getting a lot of press about the upcoming purchase. Some reports highlight the $5.3 billion price tag Google is about to pay, others are talking about what Google plans to do with the aquisition.

Here is a short description about Groupon




I like th idea of a Groupon: get enough people (Group) before the coupon becomes active. This way businesses only pay for results and potential customers spread the word about Groupon and the local business using Twitter, Facebook, and email in order to meet the quota needed to activate the coupon.

I am personally excited about this acquisition. I'll be interested to see how Google is able to integrate Groupon with Google Hotpot, another attempt to review and share local businesses. I hope Google is able to pioneer a new method of online commerce and marketing that small business owners can understand and make use of.

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So Happy About Angry Birds

Angry Birds was the first iPhone game I could play for more than 5 minutes without getting bored. Soon I found myself cursing when one tiny pig was left over, or getting lost for several minutes as I plotted how I was going to launch another bird into the air. It's no doubt Angry Birds is a global hit, the question is what's next?

Last month Rovio released a sequel called "Angry Brids Halloween", now the company is back with "Angry Birds Christmas". Gameplay is the same as the other versions only now it has an updated Christmas theme. I've only seen screenshots, but it looks like fun. I read this version will be a free upgrade from the Halloween game.

The only frustrating part of the game for me was understanding how to earn 3 stars on a level. I tried to look it up, but was unable to find a credible resource. If you know how the game determines the amount of stars to award please let me know.

Angry Birds Everywhere

This great game is not just for the iPhone anymore. I read the game will be on the XBOX, PS3, and the Android  marketplace. In fact the Android version is free and ad supported. I'd be curious to know which model brings them more money, the paid app or the free one. I'm sure numbers will be reported next quarter.

Now it's the Pigs' turn

I heard Rovio is working on another sequel taken from the Pigs' point of view. Here is a funny video about the   upcoming game. Please be advised the birds use strong language.

Mozy - The Sexy Backup

Image via CrunchBase

That's right, I called Mozy sexy. Well maybe not sexy, but it is pretty cool. I subscribe to this service because I'm afraid of losing my important data (douments, photos, and videos of the kids). Mozy is a cloud based service that allows you to upload your data to their servers, then saving it in case your computer crashes and loses the data. If this ever happened I would simply acces Mozy online from my repaired computer (or hopefully a new one) and download all my data from the compromised hard drive.

I checked into a few cloud based backup services and decided on Mozy for a few reasons:

1) All you do is install a small program and Mozy automatically manages your backing up for you. You no longer have to thik about backing up your files again, Mozy takes care of it for you according to your settings. I have it set to the default of backing up every 3 days.

2) $5 per month, that's cheap.

3) You can choose a local back up drive in addition to the cloud service. I purchased an external hard drive a few weeks ago and click a button for Mozy to add a copy of all the back up files to the new drive. Restoring from a local back up drive will take a couple of hours while the online restore will take several days. It's nico have both options in case of a fire or theft I can rely on the online files. This is one reason I chose Mozy over Carbonite.

4) Untimited data, even if you have an external hard drive. I back up my computers hard drive including an external drive I use for photos and videos. Mozy copies the files from all my drives. This is the scond reason I chose Mozy over Carbonite.

So far I couldn't be happier with Mozy. The ultimate test will be if I ever have to restore some files. I hope I never have to get to that point, but it's nice to know I'm preparing for the worst.

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Sony Bloggie - Sounds Perfect For A Blogger

Now that it's officially the holiday season I am ready to search for the perfect Christmas gadget to add to my collection. I already have last year's Flip HD camcorder, but since I returned my iPod Touch I've always been on the hunt for a replacement that will not online shoot HD video, but will also edit within the device.

My wish almost came true with Sony's new Bloggie camera. I like the large capacitive touch screen and the variable frame rates available and the availability to tag videos for sharing later when connected to a computer for uploading. I also like having the choice of portrait or landscape orientations for shooting.

Here are two great reviews I found about the Bloggie. The first one you're going to have to skip ahead a little since the girl is a little wordy.





Personally I think I'm going to hold onto my Flip HD and wait around for the next generation HD camcorder that will also allow me to edit within the device. Otherwise it's hard to compete with the convenience I already have.

Related articles

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Shopping For That Perfect Cell Phone

Image via Wikipedia

After returning my iPod touch I learned my main issue was lack of connectivity. Since Wifi was my only connection option was limited to my house whereas I might as well be on my computer to surf and publish content.

I know I could have upgraded to an iPhone to gain 3G connectivity and maintain the same platform (however unlocking the iPod touch every few minutes was very annoying), I realize I'm way too cheap to pay for a $30 data plan plus voice. I know I don't have to spend that much on data, but if I'm going to buy such a phone I better make sure I have the capacity to use it's features.

Now I'm taking a close look at what I want to use a mobile phone for, what specific use cases do I want the phone to accomplish? Here is a short list:

1) Checking email - I know this is a common use, but I am annoyed the way my current phone handles this task. I have to dig through three different menus and ok the sending of personal data before I can refresh the email screen. I want a shortcut button that takes one or two seconds to access the email.

2) Landscape QUERTY keyboard. My current phone has a portrait QUERTY keyboard which is too small for my thumbs and annoying to type on, the only way I'm going to get any typing done is on a wider landscape keyboard.

3) Works with Google Sync - I use lots of Google products including Gmail. Google sync allows me to synchronize my online contacts and calendar with my phone. The problem is not all phones allow this functionality with Google, that means I have to dig through the online manuals for each phone to find out if it will synchronize.

4) Twitter, Youtube, and Facebook - I want to be able to post photos and videos to Twitter, Facebook and Youtube with one or two clicks. Currently I have to dive through menus to accomplish this, I know the smart phones have quick apps for this, but again I don't want to pay those high data plan rates.

5) A $15 dollar unlimited phone plan - This is the big limiting factor. This means I am searching for a feature phone, the trick is to find the right feature phone that meets these requests.

Am I dreaming? Do I want too much? I don't think so. My current phone will already do most of these things, but I need it to be much more streamlined in order for me to make use of it. Later today I plan to walking into the local AT&T store to test out some phones, I'll be sure to report back with my findings.

Why I Returned My iPod Touch

Image by Mr Noded via Flickr

First of all I was annoyed by having to constantly unlock the screen. Most of the time I wanted to pause the audio or play back the last few seconds of a podcast that I missed. I realize I could have changed the default settings to increase the time before the screen would automatically lock, but then I would be compromising too much battery life.

The second problem was the lack of 3G connectivity. I knew going in the device only had Wifi, but I didn't realized it was going to be as big of a problem as it was. The only place I could use it was at home, which I'd rather be using a regular computer with a faster Internet connection  instead of an iPod touch.

Third was the low quality camera. I know Apple says it can record HD video, but the quality was terrible. I don't know very much about video recording and playback, but I do know bit rate is important. The video I saw was pixelated and grainy. The only good thing about working with video was the iMovie app. I found it simple and effective. Unfortunately that one app was not enough for me to keep the iPod.

Since returning the iPod I'm happy to be back to using my iPod classic. I thought the new version would be bigger and better, but in the end all I care about is listening to music and podcasts. Now I'm thinking maybe I want something like an iPhone, but there is no way I'm ever going to pay the outrageous fees for mobile Internet service or hundreds of dollars for the premium Apple product.

My other idea is to get a feature phone that only requires at $15/month data plan. I currently have an LG phone from AT&T, but I have no option to attach photos to Tweets or Facebook status updates. The interface is also clunky and I have no way of syncing my Google contacts with my phone. So now I'm on the hunt for the phone that will all do this without breaking the bank. I always love a good challenge.

TONYZERRER@facebook.com

Image via CrunchBase

I read today that Facebook is working on an email service for their users. I think this is a fantastic idea and welcome the innovation. I can't say I'll participate with the service, but I know many of my friends and family will.

The Good:

1) Everyone already has a Facebook account and uses it regularly, this new email feature will help consolidate the user's time  by making Facebook a one-stop shop for most of their Internet uses.

2) I'm sure Facebook will be able to integrate their email service with all the other services seamlessly. Surely the mobile app will continue to be a streamlined version of the popular desktop version, which will make reading and writing emails from Facebook even easier.

The Bad:

1) Trust is an issue for Facebook users. Many are familiar with Facebook's unscrupulous actions by selling user data to third parties, integrating email will become another avenue for advertisers to target users on a deeper level than before.

2) Alone the lines of private data becoming compromised, I could see email messages being searchable via Facebook or oven Google. Have you ever heard of myopenbook.org? Imagine if they could add email addresses and messages to their search engine.

The unfortunate part of all this are the scores of people that think Facebook is the Internet. I'm afraid that adding email services will only help complete the brainwashing. On the other side I see Facebook having a lot at stake. If they don't execute this service properly they could risk a major downfall and alienate many users prior to their big IPO. On the other hand if Facebook is able to build email as a popular service, they could possibly become the largest email provider in the world.

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Greetings from my iPod Touch

I'm typing this on my new iPod touch so this post will be short. I have a pretty cool story about how I purchased it from Costco, but I'll have to save that for when I'm in crnot of a real keyboard.

-Tony

Who knew searching on Google could be so cool?

Image via CrunchBase

I read about Google's new search tool on Mashable this morning. Can you believe this? Google is refreshing the search results page while you type your search query. Check out this video, be sure to maximize it to full screen to get the full effect.




While I'm at it, I should show you one of my favorite Google search videos, perhaps because I'm into romantic comedies (don't laugh). I think this showed up as a Superbowl ad last year.

A screen shot of my Hugh Grant Google search.
Notice I selected "Latest" for my time frame.

I think one of my favorite features of Google search is the "Latest" feature on the search page. It's simple to use, just type your query in the search box as you normally do, then select the "Latest" option and watch the magic happen. I searched for Hugh Grant because I saw his name as a trending topic on Twitter. When I clicked "Search" a steam of links came pouring in from several sources all over the Internet, but mostly from Twitter. I generally use this feature when I want to view a trending topic from multiple perspectives. This feature will not work very well on topic that people are not currently writing about, but it's great when you want the scoop on something.

Here's a quick tip - Did you know the search bar is also a calculator? Type a math expression and Google will calculate it for you instantly. I even tried it with Google's Chrome browser that allows you to search via th address bar. At first I entered a simple problem like 3+2*8 and "19" showed up without me having to hit the enter key. In case you thought the answer was 40, go back and review the order of operations.

It turns out you can do most of the calculation that a typical scientific calculator can do, which is plenty for most of us. For more information on this cool feature, check out Google's calculator help page.

This photo is courtesy of Panoramio. It was
one of the photos that enticed me to visit
this hotel resort.

During my upcoming Hawaiian vacation I plan to take lots of photos. Most of the photos will be of my family, but I'm planning to take several shots of the beautiful surroundings. If I Geotag these photos I can include them on Google search results by uploading them to Panoramio. Panoramio is a photo sharing site that was bought by Google a couple of years ago. When you upload your photo to Panoramio you are also enabling the service to link your photo to Google maps, then when someone searches for that particular place they will see your photo along with everyone else who also submitted photos of that location. I used this service to help make a decision about which resort to choose in Hawaii. Instead of looking at the resorts photos, I thought it would be more helpful to get a visitor's perspective of the place, so I visited Google Maps and entered the name of the Hotel (The Mauna Lani on the Big Island). As I suspected there were dozens of photos submitted by visitors showing the lush landscapes and beautiful grounds of the Hotel.

If you click on the map you'll get more information
including reviews from customers.

The last topic I'll talk about in this post is Google's local business search. These days people are using the Internet to not only find product to order and have shipped, they are also using it to find local services. For instance, I just encountered back spasms for the first time. I was in extreme pain and I had no idea what to do. My wife suggested calling an acupuncturist. I never visited one so I turned to Google to find a good one. I searched for "San Clemente Acupuncture". Google first presented me with a map of the area and pins placed at acupuncture locations. If I click on the map I will have a host of detailed information including customer reviews, photos, videos, and maybe even coupons provided by the business.

The advantage for the tech-savvy business is most small business owners have no idea they can have full control of their listing for free, it's like having free advertising for people that are already looking for you. Hopefully as time goes by more businesses will take advantage of this free tool, which will make searching on Google even more effective.

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Securing my digital needs for Hawaii

Image by whl.travel via Flickr

I'm looking forward to a relaxing time on our Hawaiian vacation.

After booking the flight, hotel, and rental car, my next step is making sure I have my photo gear set for the trip. I want to travel light, but I also want to pack the gear that will get the shots I want. Most people will bring a short lens followed by a long telephoto. Unfortunately the auto focus on my telephoto is broken, so I'll have to stick with my new Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 lens. Here is a quick video review of the lens.

                                       

I learned about this lens through a great lens review site, so far the photos are looking good. Here are a few samples while I was messing around.

This photo was taken by my 5 year-old son, Braden. Thanks to the Tamron's Vibration Compensation he was able to take a sharp photo with a shutter speed of 1/40 of a sec.

The lens is also pretty sharp. Here is another photo taken by my son, notice the nice blurry background (called bokeh).

Finally, here is a photo I took of my dog. This image displays the wide angle this lens of capable of capturing.

After taking the photos, I obviously plan to post them online, which means I'll need a computer and an Internet connection. I'm inclined to bring my older laptop since I don't want to risk anything to happen to our newer computer.  That computer is running a Linux operating system, so I can't use Lightroom to organize my new library of photos. Instead I'll use this opportunity to test the open source programs designed to complete the same tasks.

One other feature I plan to use the the Canon 7D's ability to take photos in in both RAW and JPEG formats so I can have the RAW photos for later and the smaller JPEG files for on-the-road blogging.

In case you were wondering what camera gear I was planning to bring on my trip, here is a little video of me taking inventory of every item.



Since I'm planning to blog and use the Internet, I thought it would be a good idea to check what Internet services are offered at our hotel. It turns out the Mauna Lani Hotel and Resort offers free WIFI!

I promised my wife I would not bring too much photo gear to our trip.
I'm wondering how much is too much?

The only problem we'll run into is our mobile phone service. My wife will bring her iPhone 3G, but our plan doesn't include minutes outside of Southern California. We have a really old and cheap plan which is great for home, but roaming charges will kick us in the butt. I looking into upgrading our plan, but it doesn't make sense  just to save a few bucks on our one week trip.

I know it sounds like I'm putting too much thought to this tech stuff, but I just want to land in Hawaii and start having fun. I don't want to think about anything but playing with my kids on the beach, laughing with my wife, and taking lots of great photos to remind us of our wonderful time together.

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iPad, iPod, and Google Tablet Rumors

Image via CrunchBase

It seems every day a new rumor surrounding Apple and Google products surfaces to mainstream media. While I find the news exciting, I'm also exhausted with trying to figure out which product to buy. So far I've held strong against the urge to buy any of these new mobile gadgets, I have to admit I'm gearing up for a purchase soon.

Before I go on I want to give a nod to Annie Leonard's "Story of Stuff". In it she explains the perils of buying into this gadget market and how if effects the people and climate of our world. Here is her flagship film that got everything started. When you're done watching the video, I suggest buying the book. The chapters outlining electronics and how they're disposed of got me to hold onto my iPod a little longer. When I'm done with it I plan to sell it or send it to Gazelle for responsible recycling.

                     

Now back to buying new gadgets...

First I'll say I use my iPod every day. I listen to audio books and podcasts all the time. I listen to it while I'm working out, driving to and from work, and even during those honey-do chores on the weekends. For me the iPod enables me to learn while taking care of daily chores that require little thought. Using those moments allows me to read more books and gain new skills I would otherwise never get to. So when I make my next purchase, I have to consider the device's ability to deliver the same content as I've come to expect from my current iPod.

The second criteria for a new device is the ability to utilize apps. I find myself constantly using my wife's iPhone 3G when I want to surf the Internet and every computer is being used in the house. I'm also picking it up to finish a level of Angry Birds (that is such a fun game). Sometimes I'll take a photo and upload it to Flickr or Picasa, or mess around with the Map app and find the closest book store. I find the device to be incredibly useful for productive as well as entertaining uses.

At this point you might think I'm in the market for a new iPhone - well, you guesses wrong. Since my son destroyed two of my wife's iPhones by dropping them in the toilet when he was 3, we used up our upgrading options until next year, which means I would have to pay $500 for a new iPhone which is not happening.

In addition to the high cost of a new phone, I'm a little weary of committing to a new phone plan. As it is I barely use my phone at all and I can't imagine changing my habits anytime soon. I was actually thinking of getting an iPod touch instead. I'm hoping the next generation will have all the same features as the iPhone 4 minus the phone, then I would use Skype to make my calls. I realize I would have to find a Wifi hotspot, but I think I can manage. It would be like the days when we had to find a pay phone in order to make a call.

I guess now I have to mention the rumored Google tablet (Since it was in the title of the blog post) that's supposed to come out November 2010. While the specs look good, I don't see myself buying one. I don't see myself carrying around a tablet, I don't need the Internet that large at my fingertips all the time, I think I'm perfectly happy with stuffing it in my pocket. Plus the idea of having a small device would make it easier to create blog posts on the fly as cool thing happen while I'm out and about, not stuck in from of a computer. I could include videos and photos of my excursions a lot easier with a pocket device instead of a larger tablet, which might be why there is a new rumored smaller iPad in the works later this year too.

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Getting ready for Hawaii

Image via Wikipedia

Hopefully this is what I can expect at my Hawaiian destination.

I'm getting myself and photo gear for our upcoming trip to Hawaii. Before I start thinking about anything like lenses I'm going to solve the humidity problem.

Last time I ventured to a tropical island my lenses fogged and I couldn't use the camera for hours. This time I plan to come prepared with a cool little cleaning cloth that's supposed to get rid of the foggy lens and allow me to shoot right away.


The product is called "Fog Eliminator". Even though the product is distributed by Nikon, the cloth will work on glass from any manufacturer. I have no idea what makes this cloth so special, but I'm willing to give it a try. I heard about the cloth by listening to This Week in Photography and thought it was worth the $8 to see if it works. From what I've read you simply wipe the cloth on the lens and you're good for a couple of hours. I'm not sure if anything can be done if there is condensation on the inside of the lens, I think this is where the pro-grade lenses with weather sealing become more useful.

I think what I'll do is simply get a bag of rice and place my lenses in it, then let the bag sit outside for a while to acclimate to the new surroundings.. I know I'll be anxious to snap some photos when we land so I'll have to exercise some patience in the first few moments.



*I just remembered the last time I returned from Hawaii at 5am a few years ago. We were returning from Kauai and I had to place my keys in the little tray when walking through the metal detector. The problem was I forgot to pick my keys back up. When we touched down after a 5 hour flight I searched everywhere for my keys but couldn't find them. I finally called back to Kauai and was able to locate the keys back on the island.  It was early morning in a dirty terminal, with a 1-year old, an angry wife, and my parents shaking their heads. I think I was fortunate enough to find a hidden spare to make it home. From there I was able to break into my house and use a spare set of keys until the other set arrived in the mail. Needless to say I will be far more careful with my keys this trip.

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My 7D got some skin.

Shooting the Junior Guard Video on the beach made me nervous about sand and the salty air destroying my Canon 7D. I know my friend John assured me that photographers have put similar cameras through worse conditions, I couldn't help myself to some extra protection from these harsh elements.

I came across the this Delkin model after a long time of searching for "Rubber cases for the Canon 7D". Finally I realized the product is called a "Skin". I thought a rubber skin would provide the perfect protection at the beach while allowing me full access to all the camera's functions, it had to be better than the Opteka rain gear I purchased last month.


1) Putting the skin on the camera is a little annoying. You have to take the camera strap off and back on in order to apply the skin properly. I realize it's not a major drawback, but I was still irked.

2) The LCD cover floats around too much. I think Delkin should have fixed the LCD cover on the skin instead of having it attach independently. I think I'm just going to scrap this cheap piece of plastic since it adds to the glare while checking out the footage on the back of the camera.

3) It gives the camera an entirely different feel that I don't think I like. Sometimes you're not sure the buttons are getting pressed down completely, and the Mfn button on the front is real hard to press down since it's so small.

While I realize I'm complaining a lot about this skin, I'm also glad I have it. I plan to take it off once the Junior Guard project is over, but I'll keep it in my gear bag in case I come across objectionable surroundings again.

Geeking out on my Canon 7D

I've had my 7D for months now, but I haven't been able to work with the supreme video features because of the limited capabilities of my computer... until now.

Fellow lifeguard and photographer, John Hanacek and I are working on the next San Clemente State Junior Lifeguard video. John has the computing power and photography skills to help this project leap to the HD level, which sets us up to create something substantial.

I spent all last week working on several problems I'll face at the beach while filming. I bought a shotgun mic and fuzzy windscreen to overcome the wind and crashing waves competing with the voices I want to record.

A Hoodman was purchased to overcome the bright sun that washes out the LCD screen used during recording. I also purchased a bunch of rubber bands to attach the Hoodman to the camera.

I already had a flash bracket to attach the mic off to the side of the lens to keep it out of the field of view.

I purchased extra neutral density filters to take advantage of the large apertures available on my Canon 50mm 1.4 lens.

I tried a couple of DIY stabalization systems, but in the end I decided to use a monopod along with  an Opteka X-Grip I bought from Amazon.

Day 1 -  I downloaded some picture profiles that were supposed to create a cinematic effect with the 7D. John and I reviewed the footage at the end of the day and noticed everything looked brown and soft. We decided to go with the Standard picture profile for the rest of the shooting.

Day 2 - The new picture profile is working great, and I'm getting better at manually focusing. The shotgun mic works better than expected (Azden SMG-1X), I was able to capture audio from distances beyond what I was able to hear during recording.

Day 3 - I plan to return to shooting this Friday where the Junior Guards will be watching a rescue demonstration. That should be lots of fun.

Another great video short

Everyone loves a good story, good videos are ones that deliver a plot like a great novel. Here is a video that does just that

<p>behind the scenes - canon cinema caravan day 1 from stillmotion on Vimeo.</p>

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Stabilizing my 7D for video

One of the problems of shooting video is avoiding the "shaky cam" amateur look. The Internet is littered with products that cost thousands of dollars in hopes to solve this problem.

While I don't have the budget for such a contraption (or the guts not to look stupid wearing one of these suits, I'm opting for the DIY version. I came across this video that inspired me to march over to my local Home Depot tomorrow morning to buy the parts for this simple DSLR stabilizer.

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You need to see this if you have a Canon 7D

I was checking out some videos created with the 7D to get some inspiration and came across this tutorial that opened my eyes. I had no idea this camera was capable of such color manipulation. You've got to check this out. 

<p>How to increase the Canon 7D dynamic range (Tutorial) from Luka on Vimeo.</p>

Be sure to check the page this video was posted on because the author contributed lots of helpful links.

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Incredible Movies Made on the iPhone 4

It was only a matter of time before someone worked on a serious project using the iPhone 4's HD recording and editing capabilities. I admit watching these videos makes me want to buy one, but I'm still hung up on the monthly contract thing. I'm hoping the next iPod touch will have the same features minus the phone, then I'm going in feet first. Until then, enjoy.

<p>the first iPhone 4 cinematic film. from Benjamin Reece on Vimeo.</p>

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Facebook Privacy

Have you ever tried Youropenbook.org? The site serves as a search engine for Facebook posts. Try searching for "I hate my boss" and you'll see a long string of people that openly degrade their boss and company while thinking what they are typing is somehow private. 

The problem originates with Facebook's attempt to complicate the privacy settings because the information is too valuable for advertisers. To help with this problem, I'm sharing a wonderful document that will show you how to avoid showing up on places like Youropenbook.org along with Google searches. In the end you should realize everything you post to the Internet should be considered public, so don't say anything that could get you in trouble.

Facebook Privacy

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My first online math class thanks to Dabbleboard

In order to help students study for their final exam I thought I would hold an online math review via Dabbleboard. The setup was simple, I just copied and pasted the whiteboard link to the email sent to my students and turn on my webcam. Soon my students showed up and I was busy explaining math problems from the practice final. One student was able to fire up her webcam as she showed up for other to see, the only problem was her mic was broken so we weren't able to have a voice chat.

I think this technology is amazing, we were able to communicate in real-time as students were able to listen to me while I wrote on this virtual whiteboard using my Bamboo tablet. I can't wait to try this again.

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Where do used electronics end up?

It's so easy to get caught up in the excitement of the latest gadget like the new Power Mac or the Nexus One. The ugly side of the equation is the dangerous waste these products create when not disposed of properly. Recently I read about how our ewaste (Trash comprised of electronics) is either dumped in a landfill or simply shipped off to a third world country where the citizens of those countries are impacted at alarming rates. I created this presentation to outline the problem along with an excellent solution, Gazelle.

Recycle Your Electronics

See more presentations by tjzerrer | Upload your own PowerPoint presentations

Here are some videos I found alarming.

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Happy Father's Day to all fathers.

I was looking through some recent photos of my two kids, Brady and Bella, as I counted my blessings this Father's day. I couldn't imagine having a more perfect family, a beautiful wife and two great children makes coming home the best part of my day.

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I'm getting $83 from my unused electronics with Gazelle

I was listening to Leo Laporte when he mentioned selling your unused electronics through Gazelle. I took a look around the site and got interested in what I could get for some of the gadgets we have around the house. After a couple of minutes of digging I and looked up the bids from the site. It turns out I'm due for $83 if I send my water damaged iPhone plus a few other small things I haven't used in years. I'm even going to send them items that I can't collect money for, but will be properly recycled.

I invite you to do the same, just go to Gazelle and search for the items you have lying around the house. Gazelle will even pay for shipping.

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A marvel of technology

I really don't think this is real, though some swear it is. There have to be some heavy special effects involved which is why I'm including it in a tech blog. Enjoy.

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Roku Rocks!

The Roku box is an amazing piece of technology that streams information from the Internet to your TV. You can stream videos, movies, photos, just about anything that can be viewed on the Internet can be streamed to your TV.

I use my Roku primarily to watch Netflix movies. Netflix has it's own channel on the Roku interface that allows you to search for movies and watch them instantly... well almost instantly. Since you are accessing information from the Internet there can be some lag time from the moment you select a movie to the moment the movie starts. This time depends mostly on the quality of your Internet connection, if the signal is strong the movie will load quickly, but if the signal is weal you could be waiting a while for the movie to start.

To make sure everything is working properly, I purchased a&amp wireless N router that connects to my cable modem. The router wirelessly connects to my Roku box without any trouble. It took me about 10 minutes to be up and running.

I love this product so much I bought two, one for each TV. I have the HD-XR version because it can take advantage of the wireless N technology, giving me better quality with a longer range. The second Roku is the HD version which is placed much closer to the router.

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This is a sweet video taken with the Canon 7D

I can't believe I have the same camera this video was shot with. I marvel at today's technology. It makes me want to buy a computer to edit HD video.

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How to use a Speedlite wirelessly

I recently posted my first viewer requested video. The viewer asked me to show how to set up a flash for wireless triggering. Without further ado, here's my tutorial.

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Checking out Dabbleboard to support math students

Last night I was checking out a cool site called Dabbleboard (Dabbleboard.com). This site acts like an online whiteboard with broadcast capabilities For instance I can invite others to my session and add a webcam, now I have a virtual online class ready to go. While I was testing the site out I added myself as an invitee and now I saw myself in two instances on the right column as both teacher and student. I immediately became excited for the possibilities to support my math students remotely, further I could record the session for on-demand viewing via screen capture programs like Cam Studio Pro.

I plan to roll out this teaching tool to help my students prepare for their final exam next week, I also want to see if a few students will be interested in spending some time with me online to sharpen their skills in preparation for Algebra next year.

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Dude, I have my own show!

That's right, the world is in serious trouble now. I learned about USTREAM and now I have my own talk show. I'm calling the the Geek Dad Lab Show, it is an extension to what I'm writing about on my blog plus a few more ideas I might come up with. 

I'm planning to start the show at 9:00pm each night, sometime after the kids at asleep and I've organized myself with topics to talk about. This is going to be a blast and I can't wait to have live interaction with my audience. I even have the ability to include viewers with webcams in my show, so be ready to go live with me if you are so inclined.

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I so want the new iPhone, but...

I checked the Apple website as soon as I could to learn about the new iPhone. It turned out to be everything I wanted and more. For me the kicker was the ability to shoot HD video and edit it all inside the handset. That's more than my laptop will do! I immediately called my wife and told the news and that I was reserving my iPhone as soon as possible.

She asked me, "How much is this new phone?"

"It's not about the price, it's about the cool functionality." I answered.

"How much? It has to be a couple hundred dollars."

"Just under $500, $499 to be exact." That's because I'm not due for an upgrade for another year.

"There is no way you're spending that much on a phone when your Flip camera will also shoot that HD video, and you have a phone too".

She had a point. I guess I'm willing to spend the money on something I want instead of something I need. But I blame Steve Jobs, the guy is such a great salesman. I was watching him at the interview from D8 and he had me sold with his conviction of values shared on stage with Walt Mossberg. I bought into the whole Adobe Flash thing and emerging technologies and was ready to throw down my money, until my wife brought reason into the equation.

Now I'm willing to wait until I have the extra money lying around. Maybe I'll create an online revenue stream that will generate the money needed to buy the phone, I could always add some worthy article to eHow for some extra cash.

At any rate I feel I'm back to my senses and feel more rational about purchasing a $500 phone, plus a $15 per month data plan. For the immediate future continue to shoot video with my Flip and Canon 7D and take calls on my clunky LG Neon. While it's true the iPhone would make it easier to communicate and share photos and video, I simply can't find a real reason to make the dive just yet.