NetCast Studio

Broadband in America and Microsoft Surface for Students – WOT 184

NetCast Studio — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:26:51 +0000

The Waves of Tech comes to you this week with a host of new conversation and tech news. This week’s show brings you a segment dedicated to product reviews by John Hanlon. Check out his review of some of the latest Verizon products. Steve and Dave provide commentary on the role Microsoft in playing in the educational markets as the provide huge discounts on their Surface RT tablet. Finally, we breakdown the state of broadband service and adoption in the American market

Product Reviews

John Hanlon (previously the host of Google at a Glance) rejoins the Waves of Tech crew to provide the listeners with some quality product reviews. This week, John provides reviews of the Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 Tablet, the Verizon 4G/LTE JetPack (MiFi), and the Logitech Mini Boombox. Find the complete product reviews at NetCast Studio reviews.

Microsoft Surface for Students and Educators

Microsoft sees an obvious fit for their Surface RT tablets in the educational sector because they are offered deeply discounted tablets to students. Surface RTs, with 2013 Office installed, will be offered with discounts as deep as $300 off for the 32GB tablet. Students are not the only ones to benefit!! Over 10,000 educators in Texas will be handed a Surface RT for those attending and contributing their efforts during an annual educational conference presented by the International Society for Technology in Education. Microsoft is again showing their desire to invest in education, both for the student and the teacher. Listen in and we hope you get a chance to grab a free or discounted Surface RT.

Broadband in America

There has been a growing disgust, almost resentment, as to the quality of broadband in America today. It is often described as weak, overpriced, selective, and slow. With recent data provided by Akamai, it shows that the US is ranked 8th in overall broadband access and adoption. The 8th place ranking is also gaining traction quarter by quarter. The past three have proven exceptional for the US whereas countries in Eastern Asia and Central Europe continue to remain stagnant in advancement. With so many issues related to broadband, it is difficult to pinpoint a single reason as to why the US is not higher in ranking. But, we are improving.

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Steve – Google+ Twitter Dave – Twitter

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The Happiness Project – Part 5 – BL 66

NetCast Studio — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:14:41 +0000

Find out if Laurin and Debbie are having a hard time working on their Happiness Project. Come and enjoy some good interaction and some good nature humor.

Discussion Points:

Can you accept help from others?
Does it make you feel good to give to others?
Look at throwing things out and donating to others as cleansing to your soul
Have evening potlucks with friends–human interaction is very important
Laugh with us as we discuss embracing laundry!!!
Get fit!!!

Find Gretchen’s book on Amazon in Kindle or paperback formats.

Reference Material

Happiness Project

Body building.com

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Debbie – Twitter Laurin – Twitter

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Verizon 4G LTE Jetpack MiFi Review

NetCast Studio — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:11:41 +0000

By: John Hanlon

Overview

The Verizon Jetpack is a 4G LTE mobile hotspot MiFi with a small, sleek, plastic design.

Details

Speed: Of course, data connectivity and speed all depends on location. I took the Jetpack on vacation for about three weeks and there were very few times it lost data. It almost always had a strong, fast signal.

The user interface is basic but nicely done. On the top/front of the device there are three capacitive buttons: up arrow, down arrow and OK. These allow for seamless navigation around the menus. Information such as number of devices connected and how much data has been used in the last 30 days is all easily accessible.

The only physical buttons/ports on the Jetpack is a micro USB charging slot.

Battery life was somewhat disappointing on this device. It lasted about three hours with 1-2 devices connected.

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Logitech Mini Boombox Review

NetCast Studio — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:44:09 +0000

By: John Hanlon

Overview

The Logitech Mini Boombox produces excellent sound quality and volume. The speaker is small enough to take anywhere, and I highly recommend it for any type of audio on-the-go.

Details

Sound quality on the Mini Boombox is amazing. On full volume, it is very loud – sound easily fills a room – and distortion is almost inaudible. It outperformed my expectations.

On the top of the speaker are capacitive buttons for forward skip and backward skip, play/pause, volume up and down and Bluetooth connect/answer phone call.

I was pleasantly surprised to find most of the function buttons worked in all apps I tested such as YouTube and Pandora (not just stock the music app on your device).

The Bluetooth function is great and stays connected to a smartphone or tablet within about 20 feet.

The speaker charges via mini USB.

It also features a line in/aux port so the speaker works with non-Bluetooth devices like MP3 players.

Rubber grippers on the bottom ensure the Mini Boombox stays put.

You can purchase it for $99 from Verizon Wirelesss.

The speaker is the perfect accessory for anyone wanting better sounding audio than your mobile devices supplies on its own.

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WWDC Announcements and Lunch with Microsoft – WOT 183

NetCast Studio — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:34:24 +0000

This week on Waves of Tech 183, Steve and Dave are joined by Rick from Tech of Sports as they talk about Apple’s WWDC announcements and discuss an interesting meetup between Rick and a few Microsoft representatives. Enjoy the podcast and don’t forget to share the podcast with a family member, friend, or coworker this week.

WWDC Announcements

The first day of Apple’s WWDC is always an exciting one for Apple enthusiasts, industry leaders in development, and the tech industry. It’s an event that sets the stage for the next round of updates, upgrades, and features from Apple. This year, Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled a series of new products and features from Apple: iOS 7, OS X Mavericks, Mac Pro, Macbook Air, iTunes Radio, and Airport Extreme. We break down and give the details on the announcements. What are your opinions of the next round of Apple features?

Lunch with Microsoft

Rick had the privilege of meeting with a PR and products representative during their travels to Atlanta last Thursday. During their lunchtime meetup, the gang of three talked about a host of items ranging from Microsoft phones, exciting new features and products, the WiFi industry, and the childrens’ market. Rick provides a detailed account of the conversation while answering Steve and Dave’s questions about the briefing and, more importantly, what they ate for lunch.

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Home Office Tech – PGA 19

NetCast Studio — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:33:30 +0000

With Brian out today, Rick joins guest host Steven Gribbin to talk about technology you might use in setting up your home office. Listen and learn.

This weeks show is from 11 June 2013

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Host: Rick Limpert Website: RickLimpert.info Twitter: @rickroswell

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Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Review

NetCast Studio — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:22:39 +0000

By: John Hanlon

Overview

The Note 10.1 is a great addition to Samsung’s Galaxy series of Android devices. Unique hardware and software such as the S Pen stylus make it the perfect tablet for students or the rushing businessman. It’s running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and I found navigation and overall speed to be excellent.

Good

Similar to the other Galaxy devices, Samsung sticks to the virtually all-plastic design. If you’re used to an iPad or iPhone, this tablet will feel odd at first. I actually prefer Samsung’s plastic over Apple’s metallic design. I found the Note 10.1 to have a lighter but more durable feel compared to the iPad. A case is not a must-have for the Note 10.1 like it is for the iPad. If you do end up buying a case, consider one with a kickstand to prop up the tablet.

Battery: Under medium to heavy use, the Note 10.1 battery lasts easily an entire day. Under light use and screen brightness set to auto, I could see the tablet going a couple days before needing charged. I got around three hours battery life when playing a YouTube video full screen with screen brightness all the way up.

Next to the volume rocker and power button on the top is a micro SD card slot followed by an IR transmitter (more on this later), headphone jack and SIM card tray.

The front-facing speakers on the Note 10.1 sound great. Turned all the way up, they produce minimal distortion and I was very pleased with the volume level. The speakers are split right and left on the front ensuring an even sound.

Samsung’s S Pen stylus is perhaps the most unique feature of the tablet. If you find yourself wanting to store handwritten notes digitally or just prefer pin-point accuracy over a finger tip, this was made for you. Samsung has a variety of applications that are designed specifically for stylus use. Many people might find the S Pen impractical, but it’s there and easily accessible in the corner whenever you need it.

Samsung apps: Peel Remote is a very handy free app that allows the user to control a TV and DVR via IR (same thing a normal TV remote uses). The setup is fairly straightforward and the app has a great user interface. Functions are limited to changing the channel and volume unless connected to a DVR/set top box. See video below for more info.

Screen: I found the screen sharp and never had a time when it was disappointing. It has a resolution of 1280 x 800 and 149 ppi.

Bad

On-screen keyboard: For some reason, the stock touch keyboard does not autocorrect any spelling or grammar mistakes. This is a major hassle, especially since typing on a tablet is much more difficult than on a smaller device like a smartphone. On the upside, the keyboard does have a split feature that makes for easy two-handed thumb typing.

Camera: The Note 10.1’s 5 megapixel back-facing camera is not great. It performs very poorly in low light and doesn’t produce a sharp image even outside in daylight. The front-facing 1.9 megapixel camera is almost useless. All the photos seen in this article were taken with the Note 10.1 back-facing camera except for the one with my face which used the front-facing camera.

Adobe Photoshop Touch is the only silver lining to the underwhelming cameras. The app comes preinstalled on the Note 10.1 and is very easy to use. It features a wide variety of effects and basic tools all designed for mobile editing.

The Note 10.1 has Multiview (also called Multiscreen) software that turns on a split screen mode. You can pick from a select number of Samsung apps and the selection will open alongside whatever app is currently being used. When I heard about this mode, I was excited to try it out but unfortunately I was disappointed. It’s an excellent idea but I found it confusing and clunky to use. The few Samsung apps that it works with also limit functionality. Hopefully, Samsung will continue to expand and perfect this feature in future updates.

I found the small power button on the top to be annoying. It’s positioned right next to the volume rocker and I frequently mistakenly turned the tablet off when I tried to change the volume. It’s not a deal breaker, but I don’t see why the two buttons weren’t separated more since they are similar in size.

On the bottom edge is Samsung’s proprietary charging port. If you own other devices that use micro USB ports, the Samsung-only cable you’re forced to use might be frustrating. In my uses, I didn’t find this to be a problem.

Photo Gallery

RAW Image

Photo after Photoshop edit

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Rick Limpert’s Father’s Day Picks on 11 Alive in Atlanta

NetCast Studio — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:23:17 +0000

Yahoo Sports contributor and Atlanta-based sports technology writer Rick Limpert was asked to pick his 5 favorite Father’s Day gift possibilities for the sports-minded Dad.

He joined 11 Alive sports anchor Sam Crenshaw on Sunday’s “Sports Extra” to talk about the adidas Boat Lace Climacool shoes, the Baller’s Bag, Wilson’s Juice 100L tennis racquet, the Rife Prodigy putter, and the new Fila “California” Polo Shirt. 11 Alive is the NBC affiliate in Atlanta.

Rick Limpert is covers events, sports, and technology for Yahoo News and Yahoo Sports, Examiner.com, CBS Atlanta and has been featured in newspapers all over the world. He hosts “The Tech of Sports” radio show on NetcastStudio.com and the popular “Tech Tuesday” tech segment on Sirius/XM PGA Tour Radio and “Wireless Wednesday” on Sports Radio 92.9 The Game in Atlanta. You can follow Rick on Twitter at @RickRoswell.

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Podcasting and Big Media

NetCast Studio — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 20:14:14 +0000

Podcasting has been an avenue for individual content creators to disseminate their information, like a radio show, through the Internet via RSS feeds. Whether you perhaps might consider it a hobby or a serious method of content deployment is immaterial. What has traversed over the years is media companies such as; CNN, ESPN, FOX, etc. re-distributing their television shows and content in the form of Podcasts. Yes technically they are Podcasts; however, are these truly the intent and scope and are individual development of these shows being overshadowed by mainstream media? Waves of Tech does not consider these true podcasts for two primary reasons. First, these are rebroadcasts and repackaging of previously recorded events conducted in a premium studio set. Secondly, where is the independence and voice? The podcast mechanism is being over powered by large media and is distorting the true value of independent content providers. Look at the list of featured podcast providers in iTunes and what do you see? The exposure is radically different and what about advertisement opportunity? As with most anything created in the local bowels of the Internet, big business always ends up coming in late to the game, but going out on top of the backs of truly who provides the nurturing of content and technical advancements. Support independent podcasters and enjoy the truths, opinions and content which you enjoy. Independent Podcasters put forth money, time and vast energy into their shows. Don’t let “Big Media” overtake what so many enjoy.

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Richard Fulco of Riffraf.net Music Blog – CC 34

NetCast Studio — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 03:48:47 +0000

Tonight we are going to turn up the volume and talk about music, riffraf.net and more with the founder and editor of the Riffraf Music blog, Richard Fulco.

Discussion Topics with Richard

A welcome to Richard Fulco
His love of music
Starting a site from scratch- finding content/writers/photographers
What are lost Gems
Technology and electronics - Vinyl, Auto-Tune
Underrated and overrated bands and artists
Concert ticket pricing
Richard’s book “There is No End to this Slope” coming out in November.

Be sure and see more of Richard’s information at riffraf.net

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The Happiness Project – Part 4 – BL 65

NetCast Studio — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:51:56 +0000

Debbie and Laurin continue their discussion on The Happiness Project. Listen in with Debbie and Laurin and see how they are progressing with their Happiness Project. Find out if it has been difficult or easy for them. Come and enjoy some good interaction.

Discussion Points:

Challenging yourself to ask for help
Can you still learn new skills
Taking time for mini adventures and what is the best one you have ever had
Reducing negativity in your life and realizing you need to limit your time with some of those people who are negative also
Put down the electronics and spend time with people you enjoy in person even if it is just for coffee

Find Gretchen’s book on Amazon in Kindle or paperback formats.

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Debbie – Twitter Laurin – Twitter

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Sports Industry Veteran Troy Kirby – TOS 49

NetCast Studio — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 02:53:32 +0000

Troy Kirby is the host of The Tao of Sports Podcast. He started it in Oct. 2012 as a way to promote idea-shares with other college/pro sports folks. He’s a great source of information and glad to have him tonight.

Discussion And Interview With Troy Kirby

1. How much have things changed since you started out?

2. Challenges being at a smaller D-1 school - kind of like minor league baseball?

3. Do you have to be a social media expert?

4. People that work behind the scenes in sports.

5. Are bigger universities a good resource when you have questions?

6. Your podcast and the feedback you get.

7. The one gadget or piece of tech you can’t live without?

Follow Troy on Twitter at @SportsTao and his podcast at The Tao of Sports.

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Host: Rick Limpert Website: RickLimpert.info Twitter: @rickroswell

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