www.ustream.tv

Posted on November 24, 2007 by Alvin Trusty

Want to broadcast on the web?  All you need is a computer, Internet connection, web cam, microphone and UStream.TV.

The service is free.  Who uses it?  Check the FAQ.

Ustream.tv is a LIVE community for EVERYONE! Already we have seen bloggers, podcasters, radio stations, DJ’s, citizen journalist, talk show hosts, celebrities, rock bands, entertainers, comedians, churches, political candidates, government officials, conferences, event sponsors, record labels, television networks, colleges, university organizations, fraternities, sororities, charities, community groups, websites, civic groups, priests, monks, bird lovers, ghost hunters, dog watchers, weddings, lifecasters, professionals and amateurs.

It is a cross between web video broadcasting and social networking.  For quick video, it looks like a possibility.

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iPod Touch

Posted on November 23, 2007 by Alvin Trusty

I got my Christmas present a little early this year.  It’s an iPod Touch.  The Touch is basically an iPhone without the phone or camera.  It holds music, photos and video and can connect to the web via WiFi.

I sync’ed a thousand songs, a thousand pictures and still had room for half a season of Seinfeld (season five).

The interface is the slickest part of this device.  The touch screen is everything you have heard it is.  I opened the photo section and handed it to my mother.  After ten seconds of training she had no problem flipping through all the photos of her grand kids.

It was the photo feature that really sold me on this device.  I have several MP3 players, but I needed a way to carry around my photos.  The screen is large enough that the photo can be seen without squinting.  The screen is 3 inches by 2 inches.  That’s almost twice as big as the old iPod.

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Happy Turkey Day

Posted on November 22, 2007 by Alvin Trusty

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Monoprice

Posted on November 21, 2007 by Alvin Trusty

If a high definition television is on your Christmas list, don’t let the guys at BestBuy talk you into the $60 HDMI cable.  Go to MonoPrice and get the same thing for $5.

The last time I ordered an HDMI cable from MonoPrice, I opted for five instead.  I got five six-foot HDMI cables delivered for less than $30 total.  I figured everyone in my family would eventually need one.  I only have one left.

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Video or Still

Posted on November 20, 2007 by Alvin Trusty

In the last couple of weeks I have had several parents ask me about video and still cameras.  Most of them want to capture their kids as they grow up.  The question involves how much money to spend on a video or still camera.  Is it more important to have a good video camera or a digital still camera?

Here’s the simple answer.  Get a good digital SLR still camera.  The Canon Rebel XT (most popular camera on Flickr) is down to $500.  With a good camera and some practice, you can get some good pictures of your family and friends.  You can print them or carry them around with you on your MP3 player.  You can share them using any number of free online services.

Video is much more complicated.  Most friends or even family members do not want to sit down and watch an hour of your kids at Disneyland.  On the other hand, if you take 500 pictures during your vacation, you can probably identify 50 of them that will be interesting enough to print and slide into an album.  Your friends or family can quickly flip through that taking as little or as much time as desired.

For the long, complicated answer, you should ask Rappold.  He does a lot of both.

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