Tag: internet

Planking vs Owling

Since this “craze” has lasted more than a week, I feel obligated to mention its existence for the history records: Planking is a thing where people lay down and take a picture of it and for some reason that is supposed to be a hilarious inside joke. Even though, i’m sure it can be, sarcasm aside. It’s easy to be snide about humor you’re not part of or don’t get, but whatever makes the kids happy, I say go for it. It’s still weird though. But if you see some of the more unusual ones, you can kindov imagine how this could be a silly thing thats fun enough to be a legit thing that people do. I mean..watch this video and try to keep a cynical eye on this fad:

It’s all about the unusual (i think) so I can dig that. Unless only the unusual ones are getting the media attention. then thats lame. but if im understanding it correctly – a plank on a bed or couch would only be posted ironically.

But if you think laying flat on things can’t be dangerous, guess again. This dude died trying to plank on a 7th story balcony.

Then of course, there’s this: Continue reading Planking vs Owling

Google informs users of Facebooks info-trapping

Google and Facebook are working toward the same ends: they both want to be the place you start your online activity, stick around for awhile and discover other things through. Google started with search and then mail and messaging and is now adding social network features while Facebook started with social network features and is now adding email and messaging.

Both companies are notorious for allegedly being loose with users personal information, giving them an interesting Coke vs Pepsi style marketing war when trying to convince the consumer that they are the better choice.

Here is what you are shown when you try to import your Gmail contacts information into Facebook:

Choppy Hu*lu Brow*sr ish youz

Seriously, how the hell is this possible?? I’m rocking 12GB of RAM and a 3.2GHz processor with 8 Cores. How is Hulu still playing just as choppy and stoppy – fully buffered – as it does on my 4GB dualcore 2GHz laptop? WTF. #whitepeopleproblems

UPDATE: My bad.. this makes sense now. I was just asked “are you using the right browser? As in, are you using 32 bit when it should be 64 bit?”. The answer is no.. I’m on Macs 64 bit OS Snow Leopard and using FIrefox which is a 32 bit only browser i’m just finding out… oy…

UPDATE: oooOOoo. i switched to a Safari (Apples 64 browser) and everything is smooth as silk! i cant make it chop if i try.

take THAT Wheeler… (he “liked” this when it was a status on Facebook cuz he’s jelly uh my Batman technology and wishes me ill over it)

Virgin Mobile $40 Internet is the best deal of it’s kind

The cheapest smartphone data plans are all $60 a month and that is just for a stupid phone. For that reason, I have opted out of data on my iPhone for the past 2 years of owning it and instead use an AT&T GoPhone month to month plan that I can fill or not fill at my discretion. If I shelled out double what I pay now for internet on my phone though, I would gain what? GPS? I have a GPS. Non-wifi use of Twitter? Not that important. If I could tether the internet from my phone to make a Mifi (mini wireless internet) spot, then that would be worth it, but for some reason that is frowned upon by most carriers and when allowed is at least $80.

A separate cellular modem is the only option for now but when I had my Sprint satellite internet in 07, I ended up not receiving the coverage as advertised, had trouble hibernating the service and getting charged for use I didn’t make. That’s when I decided the 2 year contract for cellular modem internet would not be happening for me again and unfortunately the $60 minimum data rate offered by AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint all come with that 2 year lock as well as a scoff-worthy 5 gigabyte monthly cap. Being limited to 5 gigs a month for 3G speed service (about as fast as DSL) that is spotty and not always available for an average minimum of $60 (T-mobile has a $40 monthly plan but the data limit and contract still apply) = I will not be using this service.

I just want what I have for my phone except for internet instead of phone service: an under $50 a month plan that I can cancel any time and shut on or off month to month. I’m also not playing this data limit game either. I want it unlimited. It appeared that such a service doesn’t exist.

Then I stumbled across this little gem: The Virgin Mobile MiFi 2200…

It’s so awesome that it is out of stock on VirginMobiles online store. Best Buy has them for $50 over the average price ($200 vs $150) but I found them in stock with an Amazon seller.

I was ready to buy but naturally, I went searching for the big catch – the fine print that makes this alleged mega deal not so mega. I found no such deal breaker and New York Times Tech columnist David Pogue didn’t either:

I’ve pounded my head against the fine print, grilled the product managers and researched the heck out of this, and I simply cannot find the catch.

Is it the speed? No. You’re getting exactly the same 3G speed you’d get on rival cellular modems and MiFi’s. That is, about as fast as a DSL modem. A cell modem doesn’t give you cable-modem speed, but you’ll have no problem watching online videos and, where you have a decent Sprint signal, even doing video chats.

Is it the coverage? Not really; Virgin uses Sprint’s 3G cellular Internet network, which is excellent. You’re getting exactly the same battery life and convenience of Verizon’s MiFi — for two-thirds the monthly price.

Pogue asks and answers “(Why would Sprint allow Virgin to use its data network but undercut its own pricing in such a brazen way? Because Sprint is focused on promoting its 4G phones and portable hot spots — even faster Internet, available so far only in a few cities. For example, its Overdrive portable hot spot is $100 after rebate, with a two-year commitment. The service is $60 a month for 5 gigabytes of 3G data and unlimited 4G data.)” – but later learned and explained in a follow up column that Sprint owns Virgin Mobile, which makes the price and feature difference even more bizarre. But whatever.

I just bought mine and am excited to use it over the Christmas break.