It may be the coolest tablet the world has seen so far, but it's also a letdown--especially for those hoping for something suitable for coach seats and conference rooms.... Read the full entry »
Last Friday, I got out of bed to discover that my Internet cable service was out. Not only couldn’t I get any e-mail in Outlook, but I was unable to see any Web pages.
That was bad enough, but then I found that my iPhone wasn’t working either — for some reason, I couldn’t connect to my POP server via the phone, and most Web sites would not load. I was totally cut off from the Internet.
Since both my desktop and mobile Internet were dead, I actually worried that some sort of catastrophe had struck during the night.
Last night, Google taught the world how to make a killer TV commercial. If you haven’t seen it, “Parisian Love” is elegant in its simplicity, clever in its design, and utterly, utterly charming. Take a look, then read on to learn some of the lessons you can and should take from this — and see the knockoff video I made in under an hour!
I don’t work in your office, but I bet that I can describe how a typical project gets accomplished. Not only are the SMEs — the subject matter experts — assigned to the operation, but so are partners from across the company. These are people that have little direct impact on the outcome, but are included in the spirit of collaboration and cooperation. The end result: You spend half your time just communicating, and the project inevitably falls behind schedule.
What’s the right way to manage a project like that? I’ve got some logical, yet nontraditional advice for how to organize our team.
Software that promises to do your bidding is usually more annoying than helpful — just ask Clippy — but technology seems to be advancing to the point that such apps might start to be actually useful. Indeed, there’s a new app for the iPhone that’s truly a game changer. It responds to voice recognition, interprets your plain English commands, and leverages a slew of Web sites and services to actually do useful work for you.
There are studies indicating that every March, during the NCAA basketball tournament, nationwide office productivity takes a hit. I suspect it’s the same during the week leading up to the Super Bowl. So we understand if you spent the better part of last week choosing your squares in the office pool.
In fact, we’ll bet you missed a few of last week’s best posts, which is why we’ve assembled them here:
I don’t know about you, but these days I find my office voicemail more of a hassle than a help. It’s such a slow and unwieldy method of communication! This Doghouse Diaries cartoon pretty much sums up my feelings (click to view a larger version):
Funny, right? But also so true. These days I strongly prefer e-mail, instant messaging, and text messaging, all of which are faster, more succinct, and much more convenient.
For the record, my iPhone’s famed visual voicemail is a lot better, as it provides an at-a-glance overview of my messages and the option to play only the one(s) I want. Too bad few office systems offer that kind of capability.
What are your thoughts? Do you still find voicemail an important and useful part of your business life, or do you find that you’re barely using it anymore? Tell us your VM tales in the comments.
I frequently find that I need to rearrange paragraphs in a document that I have written. Often it’s as simple as wanting to move a paragraph (or a “graf,” in writer lingo) up or down a little, swapping positions with the neighboring paragraph.
Sure, it’s easy to do by selecting the text with the mouse and dragging it where it needs to go, but what if you don’t like taking your hands off the keyboard? I’ve got a cool, so-little-known-that-it’s-almost-secret keyboard shortcut that lets you rearrange paragraphs instantly.
If you’ll permit me one final post about the Apple iPad, here’s a bit of Friday levity for you. Last week, Seth Myers summed up the iPad about as well as any journalist or pundit I’ve yet seen:
Actually, these issues were first documented way back in June, 2009, when the OS was still in its Release Candidate phase. But it appears the problem has yet to be solved, as evidenced by a growing number of complaints on Microsoft’s TechNet site.
The crux of the issue: Windows 7 reports that a battery is at or near depletion when in fact it’s not, or even that a battery needs to be replaced (when in fact it doesn’t). The key question: Is Windows 7 just reporting power levels improperly, or is it actually harming batteries somehow?
According to Computerworld, Microsoft is investigating. In the meantime, we want to know: Have you encountered these or other battery-related issues on your Windows 7-powered laptop or netbook? Vote in our poll, then leave a comment if you have more to say.
Last Monday’s episode of “Men of a Certain Age” (a terrific new show, FYI) really struck a chord. Fortysomething Joe (played by Ray Romano) has been running a party-supply store for most of his professional life. He had the talent to be a professional golfer, but washed out because he couldn’t handle the pressure.
After shooting a round with his new friend (and bookie), he starts thinking about what he’s been missing. The bookie tells him to get off his rear and go join the senior tour, saying of the party store, “You gonna do that the rest of your life?”
And you can see the dawning realization on Joe’s face: Is this really it? Is this how I’m going to spend the rest of my days? (Romano doesn’t get enough credit as an actor.)
Rick Broida
A technology writer for more than 15 years, Rick Broida is a regular contributor to CNET, Popular Science, Wired and other publications. He's also the author of numerous books, including How to Do Everything with Your Zune. When he's not chained to his keyboard, he's usually shooting hoops or watching quality television. more »
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Last Friday, I got out of bed to discover that my Internet cable service was out. Not only couldn’t I get any e-mail in Outlook, but I was unable to see any Web pages.
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