While watching the end of game 4 of the World Series (9th inning), I noticed that there is a new Volkswagen sales campaign call V-DubsRock. The marketing approach is reminiscent of the “buy a car, get a bike” gimmick, but this time it is an FirstAct electric guitar. Nevertheless since the commercial has high-speed motion and cut aways, I wanted to try a new encoding setup with smaller video size but higher quality H.264 Quicktime. Let me know how it looks. (smaller for bandwidth constraints)
While watching the Detroit Tigers struggling to even up in the World Series against the Cardinals, I uploaded a commercial talking about retirement. I’m not endorsing Ameriprise(don’t know enough about them) but appreciated the active retirement: building boats and sailing them. Yes, I enjoy dreaming.
🙂
I picked up a used TiVo on a last minute whim yesterday; we returned our cable companies DVR back in August and I’ve actually been thinking about it. I’ve heard positive comments about the TiVo interface, ease of use, network-ability and the neat ‘dogbone’ remote, but never had the opportunity to tinker with one. Since this older 80 hour Series 2 box isn’t the latest and greatest I was able to pick up the hardware for $35.00 plus shipping.
I’ve yet to activate service (pricey, but discounted longer terms) and found myself wishing I had one of those ‘lifetime’ subscriptions. (big bucks on Ebay) It will be nice to be able to pause, rewind and record a programs without resorting to our old VCR again — no … I didn’t really pull out the old VCR … but yes I miss the cable companies DVR. If there are any Tivo ‘bumps’ I should avoid before subscribing let me know by posting a comment; I welcome any advice. (one option I’m considering is buying another WITH a ‘lifetime’ subscription on the box and just adding this existing TiVo as a second for $6.95? Can I do that?)
Quick phone to blog post as I fill up my daughter’s repaired VW Jetta TDI with B20 at the exit 151 Sunoco. (damage to door) The new pumps at 6027 Route 95 Mount Gilead Ohio (for those with GPS) show E85 (octane 105) at $1.96, B2 at $1.59, B5 at $1.61 and B20 at $1.63. It is great to have this station so ideally located to I-71 in the center of Ohio.
For Palm smartphone enthusiasts, here’s a 20 minute video interview from the October 12th Digital Life Conference on the new Palm Treo 680. It is a question and answer session with Phil McClendon, the Treo 680 product manager, courtesy of TreoCentral. Some of the features are demonstrated and a quick comparison is made both the older Treo 650 and recently introduced 700p (past 6 months). McClendon mentioned (short mp3 audio) that the primary difference between the 680 and the 700p is the price point (lower) and the camera (.3 megapixel) as well as the bandwidth of the GSM/GPRS/EDGE network as compared to EVDO data speeds. The new product also offers a couple color choices, improved software interface as well as new contact manager integrated phone application and the obvious missing antenna. The attractive new form-factor of the Treo 680 will make a nice upgrade for Treo 650 users not concerned with camera or bandwidth as well as a perfect Palm OS based entry point smartphone. For anyone trying to keep all the Treos to date straight, here is a great chart from a blog post over at Treonauts. Thanks again to Treocentral for taking and posting this interview.
The outstanding cross platform browser by the Mozilla organization is available today. It has spent a significant amount of time being tested in beta and is now ready for prime time. Download it today … you won’t be disappointed.
EDIT: Did I mention Firefox 2 has a built in spell checker for all those misssspelled misspelled online posts? Now I just need to slow down enough to look at the dotted red underlined words!
A German automotive Internet TV site called UnitedPictures.TV posted a video clip to YouTube explaining the technology behind the new clean BlueTec diesel developed by Mercedes Benz. The clip is relatively simple but explains the method used to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) by up to 80 percent. The clip also talks a little bit about where the ammonia comes in and the patented “AdBlue” … as it relates to the “BlueTec” engines used in 2007 and later DaimerChrysler and Jeep vehicles. Here is a link to the Mercedes E320 Bluetec marketing campaign that kicked off on October 9th 2006 followed by the short Bluetec video clip below.
Call me lazy for not posting anything more thoughtful, but I spent Sunday evening enjoying the second game of the World Series; the St. Louis Cardinals one the first and the Detroit Tigers won the second. Anyway, a friend set me a link a product he felt was pushing iPod accessory limit and I found it hard to disagree. The iCarta iPod Toilet Roll docking station offers a four speaker combination iPod dock and toilet paper roll holder. As one happy user commented — “what a conversation piece. I’m here to tell you nothing in my house can top it!” I believe it … although it probably won’t make the best Christmas gift for my wife?
🙂
Anyone familiar with computers, the Internet and email no doubt has first hand experience with the headaches in figuring out how to handle Spam. I’ve yet to come up with a perfect solution in managing my personal email that prevents accidental deletions of important emails, but have developed a reasonable set of personal filters in the open-source Thunderbird client.
Email is not the only place people struggle with managing spam. For example, in my WordPress blog, I receive a fair amount of unwanted advertising posted as comments. It been tetious to scan through the list daily and find only legitimate comments. Yesterday I installed a ‘plug-in’ call Akismet and so far it deserves high praise. In 24 hours it was able to tag with 100% accuracy all spam (see screen shot above). I can recommend it to anyone looking for a way to keep ‘comments’ open, yet controlling unwanted spam; give it a try if you have a blog.
A Google video clip is over due … and this one is a trifecta as it includes aviation, automotive and diesel topics in one 4 minute clip! Alan McNish, a celebrated Le Mans driver in his spectacular Audi R10 Le Mans TDI diesel takes on a Harrier Jump Jet in the United Kingdom — sounds like fun. Neither vehicle is really in its element since Le Mans racing is speed and skill over time instead of a runway drag strip, and the Harrier is hardly designed to remain glued to the track! Nevertheless,events like this are a great way to publicize the advancements in diesel engine technology this past decade. Hold on to your hats … the race is about to begin!
😀
While watching the end of game 4 of the World Series (9th inning), I noticed that there is a new Volkswagen sales campaign call V-DubsRock. The marketing approach is reminiscent of the “buy a car, get a bike” gimmick, but this time it is an FirstAct electric guitar. Nevertheless since the commercial has high-speed motion and cut aways, I wanted to try a new encoding setup with smaller video size but higher quality H.264 Quicktime. Let me know how it looks. (smaller for bandwidth constraints)
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Call me lazy for not posting anything more thoughtful, but I spent Sunday evening enjoying the second game of the World Series; the St. Louis Cardinals one the first and the Detroit Tigers won the second. Anyway, a friend set me a link a product he felt was pushing iPod accessory limit and I found it hard to disagree. The 
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