» Smart Phones, Web Design, Google or whatever
Archive for February, 2009
Gmail Multiple Inboxes Allow Multiple Searches
Feb 24th
Click to Enlarge
On Feb 20th Gmail posted Tip: Manage several email accounts with Multiple Inboxes which talks about managing multiple email addresses with the Multiple Inbox feature. I found today this cool new Multiple Inbox feature also allows multiple searches in each pane. So instead of just having an inboxes for my Adsense, Blogging, and starred; I can have inboxes for my unread Adsense, unread Blogging, unread starred and unread Inbox emails.
So for those I used the following settings:
Pane 0 label:Adsense is:unread
Pane 1 label:BLOGGING is:unread
Pane 2 label:inbox is:unread
Pane 3 is:starred is:unread
Hooray for Gmail again – they make like easier. I’ve stuck with Gmail because of its awesome features, and portability between computers. I love the fact that when I get a new computer I don’t have to install my preferred email program and import all of its settings and emails.
Gmail Theme Color Chooser
Feb 22nd
Gmail themes have offered pre-selected color schemes in Gmail Lab’s Themes since November of 2008, but now you can design your own Gmail color scheme from within Gmail! I’ve already tried it out and it works great, and there’s even a reset button to undo your most recent changes.
You can choose colors from a pre-selected pallete or you can define custom colors. Unfortunately, if you have chosen one of the graphical themes (like Desk, Tree, Beach or the others) it will revert you back to a default (removing your graphical background and theme).
The only suggestion I would make would be to make changes to the color schemes for the graphical-based themes. There are one or 2 that I like graphically, but I do not like the colors chosen for the text, links, cell backgrounds and the like.
Anyone want to weigh in on Gmail’s new color cuomization? Email your screenshots to geoconklin+blog@gmail.com and I might even be able to picka few to post here.
Windows 7 – Good Stuff or Fluff?
Feb 18th
Nosing around for good Windows news sites today I found this Windows 7 video. It got my interest so I started watching an immediately it reminded me of a Windows Touch Screen video I’d watched months back. The video said that among other things the new computer could be used by restaurants allowing patrons to order by computer from their table, and was really neat (hint of sarcasm) for organizing and viewing your digital photo collection.
At any rate watching the video below I couldn’t help but wonder if Microsoft’s main goal with Windows 7 leans more toward power and security or fluff and sale-ability. While I realize one of the reasons the public views Windows as pockmarked with security problems ( does “… vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute…” ring a bell?) is because Windows is a high profile target.
I’m more concerned about Windows being more secure, less prone to crash, less prone to slow dramatically with use as time goes by (as the Registry gets bloated) and I can’t hjelp but wonder if Microsoft is seriously addressing this in Windows 7, or are they focused too much on the ‘fluff’ their marketing department believe will sell this next iteration of Windows?
WINDOWS 7 YOUTUBE
Skirmish Mode in Halo Wars
Feb 15th
Click picture to enlarge
I found two real cool Halo Wars bits today – first that there is a Skirmish mode that lets you play the demo a lot longer than the Campaign mode demo, and second some really good Halo Wars Demo Skirmish footage on Youtube (below). The video (1 of 4) shows quite a lot of gameplay including starting a base, increasing technology level, resource gathering, and some small battles.
I don’t think I’ve mentioned in this in any of my previous Halo Wars Demo posts yet, but there is no Master Chief in the game since its a prequel. But… the good part is you access to Spartans from a time in UNSC history before they were all pretty much massacred by the Covenant.
Skirmish mode in the Halo Wars Demo (at least using my setup which is Xbox Live Silver, with one controller) lets you play 1v1 Skirmish mode on one map (Chasms) as the UNSC’s Captain Cutter. Its a really nice taste of Halo Wars while you are waiting for March 9, 2009 to roll around so you can get your hands on the real thing!
10 Minute Halo Wars Demo Skirmish Video
Really (Short) Good Halo Wars Video from 2006
Halo Wars Demo – Advanced Tutorial
Feb 13th
I’ve spent some more time on the Halo Wars demo today, and I have some really short, low-res video. The basic tutorial was basic unit selection, movement and attacks. The advanced tutoruial begins with ramming enemy units with the Warthog.
Manual Page - Click to Enlarge
The videos I took (mostly for the fun of doing it) are under 5 seconds each, sorry I don’t have video editing software. Here they are
Unit Movement – determines where you can see on the map
[832kb Quicktime video, only 2 to 3 seconds long]
A Warthog rams enemy -the Warthog’s beginning special attack
[1.358kb Quicktime video, only 3 to 5 seconds long]
Again just because its pretty cool I’ve taken a screenshot of the Halo Wars manual showing the first 2 UNSC buildings. Like any other real-time strategy (RTS) game, Halo Wars revolves around building bases and units. The economy seems pretty balanced to me (so far).
The UNSC base begins with the Fortress, then adds other buildings. The economy and technology level determines what units and enhancements you can access.
Thus far I’ve only played the UNSC and most of the units I’ve seen have some really cool upgrade/enhancements. I assume as a single player you can only play the UNSC, but I could be wrong – I’ve been to busy playin the Halo Wars Demo to even do any googling to find out.
Halo Wars PDF Manual [3.73 MB PDF]
Halo Wars Official Website
Halo Wars Official FAQ
Halo Wars – “Field Trip to Harvest” Trailer (HD) – Game’s Opening Vid?
Does anyone out there know about any FREE video editing software I can download that edits quicktime files (*.mov files) and maybe optimize them to make them shorter?
Halo Wars Demo – Xbox 360
Feb 12th
UPDATE 2/13/2009: I took a spin around the Halo Wars demo more today, read about that, too.
While downloading the Halo Wars Demo I read Game Invasion’s Halo Wars Demo post a nice appetizer for what I’ll be playing soon. I also watched several Halo Wars Youtubes to whet my appetite! Later I’ll post some thoughts on the game, the first of the Halo franchise to go RTS (real-time strategy), so it should be REALLY interesting.
Halo Wars PDF Manual [3.73 MB PDF]
Halo Wars Official Website
Halo Wars Official FAQ
MACHINIMA HALO WARS VIDEO ON YOUTUBE
New Social Site – Diddit; WordPress Glitch or OpenDNS blocking?
Feb 12th
WORDPRESS GLITCH UPDATE: WordPress responded rather quickly to this recent issue by apparently removing the reference to the stylesheet that was on a8c.com and are likely communicating (IMO) with OpenDNS to get a8c.com removed from blocking. According to WHOIS records I’ve seen a8c.com is hosted on WordPress servers, so IO doubt they are taking this lightly.
Diddit – New Social Site
According to CWEBNEWS’ Ludic Labs Raises $5 Million; Launches Activity-Based Social Net ‘Diddit’ there is a new kid on the social block (launched Feb 11, 2009), looking for viral, sticky-site addictive fame ala Facebook. Diddit is a social site that at first blush I seemed to me to be aimed at risk-taking, social site addicted, techno geeks. Upon more thought it may also appeal to anyone who likes lists, teens, and… well just other people I can’t even think of. There’s also a blog section on Diddit – I wonder if it will stay a Diddit list or turn into a “who’s who” of blogs.
Let’s see where Diddit goes and who it attracts, time will tell.
WordPress Glitch?
I’ve checked several WordPress-hosted blogs tonight and there appears to be some sort of glitch with their CSS – as if the stylesheets were deleted. Of course, it could just be some errant firewall or other Internet setting on my side.
Oh, to the right is a screenshot of how I see the WordPress.com home page tonight, and I get similar for any other WordPress-hosted site I visit. The issue could be related to a8c.com which is being blocked by OpenDNS (a filter I use), so its entirely possible that WordPress blogs look fine to everyone but those of us using OpenDNS, which I think it better than other available Internet/Web filters, and is free.
Likely its just OpenDNS blocking but I would like some feedback here – is there a WordPress glitch, or is it “just” OpenDNS blocking a8c.com?
QUICK GMAIL BITE: Gmail Contacts Gets an Upgrade
Feb 11th
In Four changes to Gmail contacts Gmail’s Benjamin Grol (Product Manager, Google Contact) notes four new enhancements to Gmail’s contacts, see below:
1. Contact merge (and an important caveat about auto-complete)
I’m sure this will be cool for people who use Contacts more than I do.
2. All Contacts
YES! YES! YES! I LOVE this new button and I was just using it tonight with my wife while searching for a contact “I knew” was in her contacts list (actually I was wrong).
3. Remove people from My Contacts
This will certainly be handy for some.
4. Search across all contact fields
YES! YES! YES! Great, I also used this to verify that I was wrong (see item # 2 above). Just like the All Contacts this is one of those things that after its added you just find yourself thinking this should have always been a feature.
All I can say to the Gmail team is to keep up the good work, and for people to keep suggesting things for the improvement of Gmail.
