Christopher Welle

Google Buzz Bookmarklet – AKA “Google Reader’s Note This”

Posted on February 13, 2010 by cw

Lots of people have commented on wanting to have a bookmarklet similar to FriendFeed’s “Share this on Friendfeed” bookmarklet that you can add to the bookmark links and be able to share the current webpage to Friendfeed, but do this for Google Buzz.

This is possible using the Google Readers Note This Bookmarklet. It works the same way as FriendFeed’s Bookmarklet minus the being able to pick the image to post with the share.

Share anything with a bookmarklet – Just drag this link from the Notes page up to your browser’s bookmark bar and click, click, click your way to easy, no-subscription sharing in Reader. You can share any content from any web page, even if the site doesn’t have a feed. For even more control over what gets shared, select some text from the page before clicking the “Note in Reader” bookmarklet and your selection will appear as the item’s body. There’s also a space for you to add an editorial note when you need to let your friends know why you are sharing something. You can always uncheck “Add to shared items” if you want to add something to Reader without also adding it to your shared items.

I followed the directions above, but then changed the description to “Share this to Buzz.”

It works perfectly.

Posted in FriendFeed, Google, Google Buzz, Google Reader, bookmarklet | 1 Comment

Google Buzz Floating Window

Posted on February 13, 2010 by cw

Google Buzz is the new social internet service on the scene. Not only a week old its taking on the internet like gang busters. Opinions are as varied as they are strong about this new service from the Internet Search Giant.

The interface is connected to your Gmail account and can be seen bellow the inbox in your Gmail account.

It opens in to the right space of the menu bar. It will have a threaded discussions.

Not many people like this service being in their email client. It distracts from the main function of Gmail which is Email.

One of the suggestions is to use the Mobile Web Page for Buzz located at https://m.google.com/app/buzz?force=1#~buzz:view=following

You can create this format into a Floating Application using Google Chrome Web Browser.

1. Open the URL https://m.google.com/app/buzz?force=1#~buzz:view=following in Chrome.

You will be prompted with a Google Gears prompt to be able to store information on your local computer.

Click the check box “I trust this site. Allow it to use Gears.” Then click the “Allow” button.

2. You will then see the mobile page for the Google Buzz service. This page does not auto update so you will need to hit the refresh button.

The lack of auto refresh is probably a good thing. Since with the larger amount of people you follow the faster it will flow down. This allows you to read what is on the page currently, comment and then you can refresh as you want to see things.

3. In Chrome click the Paper button next to the wrench.

Then you can select the “Create application shortcuts…”

Another window will pop up to ask where you want to place the shortcut. I like to have it everywhere, but you can select where on your preferences.

Once you click OK the floating app will pop up.

As you can see there are no other Google Chrome buttons or address bar. Its as if you took the tab from Google Chrome and dragged it out without anything following.

The icon will show up at the locations that you selected earlier.

So now you have a floating screen adjustable Google Buzz Web Application for your computer.

Posted in Chrome, Google, Google Buzz | Comments Off

formspring.me

Posted on January 13, 2010 by cw

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/Cwelle

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

iPhone Developer Question

Posted on July 30, 2009 by cw

RiverTurn company that developed the VoiceCentral iPhone app was notified that their app was taken off iPhone’s App Store.

There’s No App for That – “As has been widely reported at this point, we are very sorry to announce that Apple removed our VoiceCentral app from the App Store. This happened suddenly, swiftly and with virtually no advance notice from Apple.

Repeated emails yesterday to Apple have still been ignored at this point. We did receive a voicemail at our main office from the same Richard who called our competitor. Unfortunately it wasn’t until today that we were able to connect for our “conversation”. The word conversation really doesn’t cover it because what transpired was not informative by design and felt like theater of the absurd.”

With Apple being indiscriminate on who can and can’t develop for the iPhone and even if they let you develop for it, they pull the app after 4 months without cause or explanation, does this make you less inclined to develop for the iPhone? If so what other mobile devices would you develop for? Windows Mobile? Android? Palm Pre?

Posted in ATT, Apple, developer, iPhone | Comments Off

Pandora One Review

Posted on May 25, 2009 by cw

I’ve been a paid Pandora.com subscriber for a couple of months. Well before Pandora One came out. I did this because the value of the services I got was more then worth the small yearly fee that I was asked to pay for.

I was surprised to login one day last week to find a new menu called Pandora One.

So lets get down to the new options that come with this service.

1. Custom Skins – You can now change the background of your Pandora account to a few select tasteful graphics. Nice to be able to put in a Kiosk type window for parties.

2. Pandora Mini Window – This will create a small Web window of the Pandora site so you don’t need to take up so much space. Its again nice, but this still uses the web browser that can crash at times like all other web browsers.

3. Audio Quality – Now you can update your stream quality to 192kbits.

4. Pandora’s Air application – This is a really nice feature that I am enjoying a lot. Unlike the web browser that takes up a bit more memory then it should, the Air App runs nice and small and still allows for the great features of Pandora in one small window. When the music changes a short timed display comes up in the upper right hand corner giving some information about the new song.

So is Pandora One worth it? Yes. Not only is the above options good add ons but the paid solution of no Advertisements and the ability to skip songs 6 times per channel in 1 hour.

Posted in Pandora, Web 2.0, web application | 15 Comments

Personal Business Cards – Moo Printing Company

Posted on April 13, 2009 by cw

I decided I need some personal business cards for when I go out and meet other people. I have been just emailing them or using a web service called My Drop Card. Essentially you txt a number the email address you want your business info sent to and it then emails them. This would be fine and all for getting them the contact info via the email but it still leaves you with not having something to hand to the people your meeting.

So I decided to print up a small batch of cards for myself.

Moo.com is perfect for this solution. You can add the pictures you want and the text you need on the cards. They sell the cards in packs of 50 so you don’t have to have so many hanging around that you don’t need or no longer correct. Moo also has a Green Paper that is Eco friendly for those that are interested.

This is my card that I designed on the website. I have cut out some of the info that is not needed publicized here. It was really simple. I paid with a credit card, but tried to pay with my PayPal account but ran into a error every time. So I just used PayPal’s Virtual Card Firefox plug in that creates a virtual CC for just this purpose.

So if your interested in getting some new cards, check out www.moo.com.

Posted in Web 2.0, business, web application, website | Comments Off

BumpTop FTL – Poor Customer Support Techniques

Posted on April 10, 2009 by cw

I truly don’t remember when I applied to get a Beta Invite for the BumpTop desktop application, but I finally received the accepting email on April 7th.

I was very happy to try out this cool desktop app that claims to change the boring graveyard that is full of lost and forgotten files to something the suits your needs and style. I followed the link provided to download the software and try it out. The web pages states to copy the beta code which will be asked for when installing the application.

I down load the application and go through the install process.

The application starts up and asks for the BumpTop Pro Key, the one that was listed in the webpage.

I enter the key and click OK only to get a message that the “Beta invite codes are no longer supported.”

WHOA! FAIL! WTH??? I try the manual way and it takes me to another webpage that has me cut and paste a code to the entry box but it fails too.

I decided to email the company about this and see what is up. I sent off the email that same night stating the issue I was running into. I received a reply that was a little concerning on my part.

When a canned support ticket reply starts off with “Respect Yo,” you really need to ask “What the hell software did I install on my machine that this company responds this way?”

Two days later I receive a response in email from Mike Jurka of Bump Top. It states:

Hi,

We invited the last of our beta users shortly before launch, but then launched to the public; for users that didn’t open their email in time we could see how it’s confusing. Sorry about that.

The good news is that your beta invite code entitiles you to a discount! Just visit: http://bumptop.com/buy/ExistingUsersDiscount.php

Mike Jurka

WOW… so its not the fault of BumpTop’s that they sent out several Beta invites, but then decided to go launch publicly canceling out those Beta invites they just sent out. Then only to say that its the Beta users fault for not opening up their email in time?

WTF!

Well I guess the time it took from when I received the email for the invite (Tue, April 7th, 2009 at 12:26am) when I downloaded the software and went through the whole thing that I listed above to the time I emailed them at 10:58pm that night is enough time to Launch and invalidate my beta invite.

You can see the emails below with date and time stamps. I’ve even capture the header information for the original email for all you.

As for my thoughts on the actual software, I believe this is a pretty desktop overlay that makes working on the same old desktop more interesting, but until it can replace the Explorer of the Windows system and change how the way the applications look to match the rest of the desktop, its just another application that eats away memory and processor time that could be put towards running the many applications that you would be using. Eye candy, nothing more. I’ve removed it from machine.

Posted in BumpTop, Customer Support, Windows Vista | 1 Comment

Prediction for IT Services in 2009

Posted on December 30, 2008 by cw

I am going to go out on a limb here and make a couple of predictions as to the key things I see in IT Services in the next year.

Lower payments to keep and gain more customers that are tightening their wallets.
- Many companies are going to cut their budgets this year if not already. One place they always look at first is things they consider overhead, which is IT services. No need to get new servers, upgrade software or upgrade the network this year. Best to try to keep status quo or look at alternative Applications like Open Source.
- IT Companies will need to lower their prices to keep these customers or the customers will go else where. There is a large pool of IT Talent out there that will freelance to small/medium size businesses for less then regular IT Service Company.
Micro Work will become more popular.
- Services like OnForce.com will become more popular. Being able to put out work orders for bidding by local IT Talent is a great option.
- Small projects will be the way to go.
Customer Service is going to add much needed value to IT Services.
- IT Service Providers need to work more on their Customer Service technique and not charge more for it.
- Techs that can be kind, courteous, and do what’s needed for the customers will be hired over and over.
- This provides word of mouth and generated leads to other jobs.
Open Source apps and OS’s will become more important.
- Experience with Linux, Open Office and other Open source apps will be more needed in this next year.
Blogging and providing free services to those that are able to follow directions.
- Providing tips and tricks on a regular basis on a blog for customers to follow.
- News on applications and hardware that users might be interested in.
- Show that you are up to date on new technology and can provide step by step services for users to follow are going to be highlights in this next year.

Questions as to how important they will be in the next year:

Certifications vs. Experience??
- Will certifications make you more employable?
- Which certificates will be the key skills in the next year?
- Will customers see more need for Experience over certification?

I will try to touch on this again at the end of the 2nd Quarter.

Posted in Customer Support, IT, Outsourced, Predictions, Uncategorized | Comments Off

How to Carve a Turkey with Walter Roach

Posted on November 27, 2008 by cw

Thought I’d do a little Thanksgiving Video using the Qik.com Phone Streaming to show you How to Carve a Turkey for large groups.

This is my father in law who is an expert at cooking for large groups. Today he is cooking for a dinner of 50.

This was taken with a Sprint Touch Pro on the EVDO Network.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Posted in Cooking, How To, QIK, Thanksgiving | Comments Off

Test post from my Sprint Touch Pro

Posted on November 19, 2008 by cw

Just wanted to test creating a post using the email function on blogger from my cell phone.

Currently my Lenovo X61t is not booting and I’m running a full system test on it. Its taking forever.

I just realized how lost I feel without it. I cant work, cant play, cant communicate with others. Not a good thing.

After the test is over im going home to built another backup laptop for just this reason. I have a couple that should do the minor work.

Yuck. Not a good day.