TuneWiki for BlackBerry

I’ve had enough of iPhone this and iPhone that.  Let’s talk cool apps for your BlackBerry, shall we?  Gear Diary reported that TuneWiki is available for the BlackBerry.  What is TuneWiki?  It’s a website that plays music of your choice and displays lyrics.  It’s a community forum.  It displays maps that show what other users are listening to.  It may still be a beta, but it’s pretty darn cool!  Now they have an app available in the BlackBerry App Store (yes, we have one too).  It’s a free download, but you can upgrade to the Pro version for $4.99.  Supposedly the free version is ad-supported, but I didn’t see any.  So let’s give it a quick walk through…

App of the Day: Copy and Paste Made Way, Way Better!

A couple days ago I presented a software program called, CopyPaste Tool, a utility that allows you to copy multiple clips of information before pasting.  I liked it, but it had some issues.  As you know, the Windows Clipboard only allows you to copy one item at a time.  If you find yourself copying then pasting over and over, then a program like CopyPaste Tool or the new one I will present, will allow you to copy many items before pasting.

Clipomatic is a free, and excellent copy and paste utility.  It blows away CopyPaste Tool.  How?  check it out.

App of the Day: Copy and Paste Made Better

Don’t you often find yourself going back and forth, copying things from two or more sources to paste them into one?  My work database is separate from my contacts database, so I have to copy the name, then paste it into my contacts database, then copy the address, then the zip, and phone numbers.  It’s time consuming and tedious.  But I found a cool, free software that will change all that!

Pocket Informant for Blackberry V. Agendus for Blackberry

PI icon top right, Agendus icon middle right

I recently received a Blackberry 8350i for work, and like Windows Mobile, the built in Contact Manager is inadequate.  There are separate modules for each function.  If you want to make an appointment you must open the calendar.  To view contacts you must open contacts.  These two suites I am reviewing combine all the functions into one program.  Open a contact and you can make an appointment, send an email, assign a task and so on.  So I am putting both Pocket Informant  for Blackberry v1.6 and Agendus for Blackberry v1.21 through a rigorous testing process.  Both have features that enhance contact management, though they go about it in very different ways.  And both versions are relatively new and will likely see enhancements and improvements in the months to come.

Agendus uses the built in databases to perform its duties.  Pocket Informant (PI) feels that the built in databases are too limiting, thus they have their own databases.  There are many other differences as well.  I will attempt to illustrate them in this head to head comparison.

Xpad Slim Review

In January of 2008 I had the pleasure to review the Xpad for Laptop, a nonslip laptop cooler and heatshield, and I have used it ever since.  As you know, laptops get mighty hot – up to 130 degrees Fahrenheit -  and uncomfortable sitting on your lap.  The Xpad for Laptop, as I said in my previous review, works like this: “The legs of the “X” shape are raised slightly above the base of the unit, allowing airflow and cooling.  Inside is a strong platform with insulative air pockets, and EVA insulation material at the bottom provides a third layer of insulation and acts as the non-skid surface.” 

There are no mechanical parts.  The design itself provides the cooling using passive technology.  No assembly required.  Just take it out of the box, put it on your lap or a desk, put your laptop over it and you are ready to roll.  It’s light and strong, and provides a great base for computing.  So does the new, slimmer version, improve upon the old design?

Supercharge Your Outlook with Agendus for Outlook v5.41

I’ve had a Windows Mobile device since 2000.  But recently my work gave me a Blackberry 8350i to replace my aging Nextel phone.  I had the opportunity to reduce my load from two devices to one.  I had to make a lot of changes in order to accomplish my goals of continuing to carry my important business information and integrating the Blackberry into my business routine.  One big switch I made was moving from Act! Contact Manager to Outlook.  I suppose I could’ve kept Act! if I used the excellent CompanionLink software to sync my device, but I want a more direct solution.

Outlook excels at email, but is not a great contact manager.  Act! is a great contact manager but does not excel at email.  Hmmmm.  If I downloaded the Business Contact Manager for Outlook add-on, I’d have to use CompanionLink, so I felt stuck.  That is, until I demo’d Agendus for Outlook.

How To Make Free Ringtones For Blackberry

Why pay money for ringtones when you can make them yourself easily?  My guide will take you through the very easy steps.  You’ll have your own ringtones in minutes!  I’ve only tried this on the Blackberry Curve, but I bet you can use it for many types of phones.

Open up the free Audacity software.

The Top 16 Most Popular TV Sayings

This was sent to me by my wife.  I want to give proper credit to the creators, and I think it originally came from Yahoo!  If I’m incorrect please let me know.  Anyway, enjoy this awesomely fun list!

 

16. “Eat my shorts!”
Who says it: Bart Simpson, “The Simpsons“
Why we love it: It’s to the point, insulting, and irreverent, just like the show at its best.

15. “Book ‘em, Danno.”
Who says it: Jack Lord, “Hawaii, Five-O“
Why we love it: The best procedurals produce great catchphrases (“Hill Street Blues‘” “Let’s be careful out there,” for example), and this weekly signature has entered the American lexicon. The case was never closed until you heard those famous words — it was the “Law & Order” banging gavel of its day.

14. “How rude!”
Who says it: Stephanie Tanner, “Full House“
Why we love it: This one is all about the delivery. Taken on its own, it’s little more than just another middle child whining. But with Stephanie’s pursed lips, raised eyebrows and “harumph” attitude, it becomes instantly memorable.

13. “Make it work!”
Who says it: Tim Gunn, “Project Runway“
Why we love it: Because Tim Gunn is the man, that’s why. Carry on.

12. “Son of a b—h!”
Who says it: Sawyer, “Lost“
Why we love it: It’s tough to own a phrase this common, but nobody says it quite like the surly one, Hoss.

11. “That’s what she said.”
Who says it: Michael Scott, “The Office“
Why we love it: Sure, the writers of “The Office” didn’t invent this versatile zinger, but we can thank them for making it OK to use it in our own office. You know, because we’re 13-year-olds at heart, just like Michael.

10. “Jane, you ignorant sl–…”
Who says it: Dan Aykroyd, “Saturday Night Live“
Why we love it: Aykroyd brilliantly lampooned right-wing rhetoric 30 years before Stephen Colbert with this sexist jab.

9. “Legen- — wait for it — -dary”
Who says it: Barney Stinson, “How I Met Your Mother“
Why we love it: We just can’t get enough of Barney’s awesomeness. His blustery bravado hits at a universal truth: You either know a Barney or are a Barney. Check yo’ self, people.

8. “…for me to poop on!”
Who says it: Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, “Late Night with Conan O’Brien“
Why we love it: Robert Smigel’s off-color, cigar-smoking talking dog was just weird enough to work. Just when he got people to start talking to a puppet, he’d lay this gem on them — prompting hilarious shock value.

7. “Oh my God! They killed Kenny!”
Who says it: Kyle and Stan, among others, “South Park“
Why we love it: In a show that satirizes our culture’s love affair with extreme violence, this catchphrase punctuates one of the show’s funniest recurring jokes: They mercilessly off Kenny in nearly every episode for the first five seasons.

6. “Let’s hug it out, b—h.”
Who says it: Ari Gold, “Entourage“
Why we love it: In the venal shark tank that is Hollywood, it’s as close to touchy-feely as these macho men have gotten.

5. “Holy _____, Batman!”
Who says it: Robin, “Batman“
Why we love it: The Boy Wonder’s aw-shucks exclamation dovetailed nicely with the show’s campy tone. Plus: It helps us write headlines.

4.”What’choo talkin’ ’bout, Willis?”
Who says it: Arnold Jackson, “Diff’rent Strokes“
Why we love it: This giggle-inducing question underscored the white man-adopts-black-boys show’s inherent message about learning to accept differences.

3. “Yada, yada, yada”
Who says it: Multiple cast members, “Seinfeld“
Why we love it: Because we all use it, but “Seinfeld” deconstructed it. “How can you ‘yada-yada’ the best part of the evening?” Jerry asks, when Elaine is less than forthcoming with a date’s juicy details. “I mentioned the bisque,” she answers tartly.

2. “Dyn-o-mite!”
Who says it: J.J. Evans, “Good Times“
Why we love it: We know it’s only technically one word, but its delivery was often accompanied by J.J.’s hilarious rhyming couplets about his prowess with the lay-deez.

1. “How you doin’?”
Who says it: Joey Tribbiani, “Friends“
Why we love it: Matt Leblanc’s dirty-dirty reading of the simple line gave it life, while forging a new comic frontier for the played-out playa character. Plus, it works! Try it.

Windows Utilities You Need – 2 Apps of the Day

Last night I was trying to figure out what was taking up so much memory in my pocket pc and my laptop hard-drive.  I used Windows Explorer and searched through all the files and folders for the culprits.  But it was very tedious because folders don’t show their size in the Windows Explorer columns.  Check out the screen shot below:

Find my solution after the break.

Reality Show Revamp

Who’s not getting tired of the reality show rut?  Every season it’s the same old same old.  The season starts out with a bunch of cocky contestants saying they’re going to win.  Every week one gets eliminated.  It was fun for a while, but it has become stale.  Below I propose some changes to some of the most popular reality TV shows.  Let me know what you think.

1. American Idol.  Now in it’s eighth season, AI consistently ranks as the top reality show.  But even they recognize the need to freshen up the show, and have added a new judge and a new rule, called the Save.  The judges can now save one contestant from elimination.  That’s a good start, but let’s go a step further.   I propose that we stop the vote.  After all, anytime I call the line is busy anyway, not to mention that it has become a popularity contest.  Jennifer Hudson and Chris Daughtry were eliminated too early, just to name two.  So forget voting.  Let’s have the contestants nominate the bottom two contestants, then the judges can decide.  That’s right, just like they do in Hell’s Kitchen, contestants will judge each other.  This way we’ll see their true colors.  And I promise that all those kids that come off as so nice and wholesome, will show an edge and add some real excitement to each elimination.

2. Hell’s Kitchen.  This show has to be staged.  Who would subject themselves to such abuse?  Why would anyone (hello Gordon Ramsay) act like such an ass on national TV?  I say we give Mr. Ramsay a taste of his own medicine.  Let’s make him go on the losing team each week and see how he does.  We should also ban swearing.  Anyone caught swearing will be subject to elimination.  That should quiet the old boy some.  Then let’s see if he gets eliminated if that team loses the next week.  As for judging, let’s get the three judges from the Food Network’s Chopping Block to judge.  They are real chefs, and decent people.

3. Rock of Love.  Come on, Bret, you already picked two Rocks of Love, and ended up with neither.  Is this skank-a-thon ever gonna end with you settling down?  Didn’t think so.  Hence our new rule changes.  The first show will now start with 30 women.  Viewers will see them on TV, get to know them, then vote to keep the top 10.  The first show thus ends with twenty eliminations.  Every week a skank will be voted off by viewers, not Bret.  That’s because he failed so miserably with his first two and needs help.  At the conclusion of the show, he will have to marry the remaining skank.  Yes.  MARRY!  And he can’t sing “Every Rose Has its Thorn” anymore.  Please!

4. The Celebrity Apprentice.  Firstly, even if we pretend that there’s any reality to this show, what’s with the nepotism?  Donny, get rid of the kids.  No twenty something kid should judge anyone, no matter how much you donated for their education.  If you have to keep the children on the show, put one on each team and subject them to elimination if they’re on the losing side.  Let’s see what they’re really made of.  Now that that’s settled, we have to eliminate the contestants’ ability to call their friends for donations.  If they’re going to sell cupcakes, then sell them to regular people.  There’s no such thing as a $5000 cupcake!  If the cupcakes are good and the marketing plan is well thought out, then your team will outsell the other team.  Is this a contest of who has the richest friends or a contest to ferret out the best business people?

5. America’s Next Top Model.  If I have to hear the phrase, “Tyra Mail” again, I will barf.  Ditto “fierce”.  Your fierce!  That’s fierce!  You’re not fierce enough!  OVERUSED!  You would think a top model contender would be attractive, but anorexic giraffe-sized waifs do nothing for me.  The only saving grace to this show is the cat fighting.  So why not extend it?  Instead of Tyra eliminating the contestants, let’s have the contestants nominate the bottom two, then every week they can have a fashion magazine editor make the final decision. 

6. Flavor of Love.  Nobody likes a skankfest more than me.  But no self respecting skank would date a 50 something year old washed up rapper that wears a clock around his neck that is bigger than him.  I just don’t buy it.  But I do like skanks, so I’m ready for Flavor of Love 4, but with some changes.  Let’s get rid of Flavor Flav and put someone cool and current in.  Maybe Kanye West, or Justin Timberlake.  Then we move the show to HBO so there’s no censorship.  The bottom four will face elimination and have to go mud wrestling.  The top two mud wrestlers will be safe.  The bottom two move on to the wet T-shirt contest.  Sadly, the loser will go home and not get a clock.

7. Top Chef.  Love it.  But answer this:  How did Padma Lakshmi become the end all be all of judging food?  Isn’t she a model?  She replaced Katie Lee Joel, who actually is a chef, after season one, and it was thought that they wanted a more lively, less monotonic sounding host.  Ok, she wrote a cookbook.  But is she really a chef?  I say we keep her as host and drop her from judging.  When she has her judging hat on, she makes me think she’s Dominatrix Padma, so stern, and serious is she.  I fear her like I feared my mommy when she came home to find my bedroom untidy.  Speaking of judging, let’s make a switch and have Gordon Ramsay judge this show, and Tom Colichio judge Hell’s Kitchen.  And finally, can we have the contestants stop using fancy terms and just say what they are making so we can understand?  And while we’re at it, let’s de-snub a bit more.  Make the contestants cook the kind of real food you and I have at home.  Let them come in my pantry and make something out of peanut butter, white bread, macaroni and cheese, and oodles of noodles.  And one more thing, they must cook food that is actually good for you, not buttery, fatty, high cholesterol-laden decadent foods that none of us can afford.

 

I was going to do a more comprehensive list, but got intimidated when I saw the Outrageously long list of reality shows.  There are hundreds.  Check out the list and you’ll see.   You thought game shows were taking over TV in the late 70’s and early 80’s, but this is an epidemic.  It has infected every channel.  The Golf Channel has a reality show.  How about a Bowling reality show, staring Simon Cowell?  Tennis with John McEnroe?  We have cooking covered.  Nannies, check.  I even saw a reality show for makeup artists.  Wait, I have a novel idea.  How about a Scott Baio reality show?  What?  It’s been done?  Twice!  I’m having a reality show at home.  Each week I will eliminate one person from my family.  Whoever annoys me most, be it step-mom, cousin, sister-in-law or wife, will be eliminated.  Something tells me I’ll end up all alone.  That just leaves more time for REALITY TV!