Tech Digest: Yay or nay: Transporter

Dear Readers,

Tech Digest have come across the latest and flashiest bit of kit that will stream music stored on your PC to your Hi-Fi.

Tech Digest: Yay or nay: Transporter

I have been thinking about purchasing something like this for some time - always being put of by the cost. A new thought has sprung to mind recently that possibly will be able to provide me with the solution that I am looking for with additional benefits.

I have in effect removed the Hi-Fi from my life and now use a DVD player and surround sound to play CDs. I would like to have the ability to store my music on a hard drive, search for it and play it with out having to go through a CD collection and changing each CD every time I want a different type of music.

My thinking is that instead of going for one of these streaming tools, I am considering purchasing a new PC with a decent sound card, a decent video card and a wireless card. Then I will be able to plug this directly into my TV and surround sound and hey presto music and PC on demand!

Till next time dear reader...

Vis.

Tech Digest: iLane - send and receive email safely whilst driving

Readers,

I saw this article the other day and have been wondering if it is good or bad...

Tech Digest: iLane - send and receive email safely whilst driving

The product reads emails out loud and allows the receiver to reply, via email, through bluetooth to their mobile device. I am sure that as a communication tool it is a way forward, however as a social interaction tool then I am concerned it is a step backwards.

The big questions are "Is this necessary..?" and "Who will use it..?"

It is clearly aimed at people who spend a lot of time:
1. Driving
2. Needing to communicate with email rather than phone - this would imply that documents need to be exchanged
3. Not in meetings - otherwise alternative methods could be used.

So do you know anyone like this..?

Vis.

Email becomes the new snail mail

Dear Reader,

Following on from my previous post I have come across this article which seems to highlight the changing attitude towards IM and electronic communication in general.

Email becomes the new snail mail - web - Technology - smh.com.au

It is strange that as more and more ways of communicating are developing and the expected response times are shortening then as a result people are expected to be on call 24 hours a day - I would say 24/7 but I dislike that expression!

I wonder if workers will communicate themselves to an early grave - or will a revolt happen and it will get to a point when individuals will say enough is enough and switch off after hours!

The other option is a full circle. We started with the phone, moved to email, switched to text, now going to IM as it is quicker to get a response. You never know next we might go to phone calls to try to get hold of someone!

Till next time dear reader!

Vis.

Communication from 2006 onwards

Well dear reader, what has been happening..?

I recently came across an article from a young up-and-coming chap by the name of Bill Gates who was talking about how communication in the future will be an integrated version of what we have already have available to us today.

He mentioned the scenario of trying to contact someone…

You phone them from your desk – they are not there so you leave a message
You phone their mobile – no answer so they get a second message
You e-mail them telling them the same message for the 3rd time!

Then when they pick up their messages they repeat the process only in reverse..!

Young Bill’s suggestion in to combine email, VOIP, IM and free / busy information into one service presumably giving users one number / email address / username that stays with them wherever they are. With the introduction of wider wireless zones and smarter smart phones this is a real possibility for the near future.

Billy went on to mention that he pays particular attention to new, fresh out of college, graduates and how he feels that they drive the way forward with their demand for ever quicker information and the fact that email is just not quick enough.

Someone commented to me the other day about how the new generation is dealing with the inevitability of information overload – they felt that young people were developing a natural speed reading skill that allowed them to filter out the rubbish from the useful – I guess that this could be evolution in action!

Till next time dear reader – and I use this in the singular sense as I am sure that no one has ever read this!!!!

Vis.