GeekSugar

Website of the Day: Test My Speed

GeekSugar — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 13:00:11 -0800

Internet Service Providers throw around broadband speed stats like they're going out of style, so if you want to test the actual speed of your Internet you better seek outside sources.

A website called Test My Speed offers a directory of websites that can check how fast your computer connects to the Internet via modem speed tests from all over the world.

All you have to do is select your location from a map and Test My Speed will offer a link to a local website that can check your speed for free. Want to share your favorite website of the day with us? read more

First of all, join the Website of the Day group
Click the pink "Share" menu on the top left side of the page
Choose "Blog" and “Regular Post”
Give your story a “Title”
Fill in the “Body” with a link to your favorite website and the reasons why you love it
Click “Next"
Choose the audience for your story to “Website of the Day” in the drop down menu
Add keyword(s) (for example mine for this photo was "Website of the Day")
Change channel to “Technology and Gadgets”
Fill in tag field with relevant tags
Click “I’m done” to submit content

So join the Website of the Day group and share information about all your favorite sites! Yours just might end up on the geeksugar homepage!

First Impressions of the T-Mobile G1

GeekSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:00:21 -0700

Now that you've feasted your eyes on my G1 unboxing images, it's time to show you how this handset performs with my first impressions video. Overall, I was impressed with the big responsive touchscreen, the customizable home screen, the option to scroll with either the trackpad or my finger, and the 3-megapixel cam on the back (that feels like a traditional point-and-shoot camera).

The biggest let down? The speed. I tested it out alongside a 3G iPhone and found that both video quality and speed was better with the iPhone. Also, I noticed that some of the apps didn't seamlessly load, and needed to be refreshed to open, something I'm sure a software update can probably fix.

Supertooth Light Bluetooth Speakerphone Is Easy on the Ear

GeekSugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:06:14 -0700

My home base of California is now a handsfree state, which means it's illegal to drive your car and talk on the phone unless you are using a Bluetooth device or headset. I've tried my share of Bluetooth earpieces and understand their place and function, but I don't love having a device crammed in my ear. This weekend I took my sister's Supertooth Light Bluetooth Handsfree Speakerphone (on sale for $70) for a spin and it won my affection after two test phone calls.

You mount the device on your car's sun visor (I didn't have to take off my earrings! Brownie point number one!), and it features voice dial activation, redial and call reject and a retractable sliding microphone.

To see what I liked and disliked about the device, read more.

The packaging claims the Supertooth Light Bluetooth Speakerphone uses "real-time audio to process any echo or background noise resulting in the improvement of the sound quality of the user’s voice regardless of whether the car is stationery or traveling at high speed," but I'm unsure how to actually test that. The sound was clearer than the headset that came with my BlackBerry and because it's a speakerphone I didn't feel like I had to yell. If you are self conscious about talking on a speaker with other people in the car this might not be the right device for you, but if you don't mind sharing your conversation with the carpool the speaker is easy to use and does a great job of keeping your hands free.

I was initially a little confused about the pop out mic (you turn on the device by pushing out the retractable mic - there's no power button), but after using it once I figured it out. Supertooth claims the battery works for 15 hours, but my sister says it's lasted her about a week of car use. The stand-by time is actually 800 hours (who would leave a headset on for that long?). The good news is that you charge the device by plugging it into your car lighter so you can always juice up on the road.

The Blueant site has a whole rundown of device compatibility, but it works for all the biggies, like BlackBerry, iPhone and Bluetooth enabled devices from Cingular, Motorola, Nokia, LG and TMobile. Overall, I found the device easy to use, think it's a fair price (especially now that it's on sale from $100 to $70) and the sound quality is right in line with some of the better earpieces I've tried.

View 8 Photos ›

First Look at the Wii Fit and Rules for the Fitness Test

GeekSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 08:02:50 -0700

Yesterday, I hit the gym. . .I mean, the Wii Fit for a taste of what's to come in my 30 day Wii Fit Fitness Test. Although I wasn't expecting to break a sweat, I did have a nice dewy glow after trying out a few of the Wii Fit's features. My fave so far? Hula Hooping!

You may be wondering what rules I'll be setting for myself this month as I begin the 30 day Wii Fit Fitness Test. They are simple, but I can promise that I'll stick to them to give you the most accurate results possible. I'll even stop hitting the gym and make Wii Fit my only source of exercise for a full month! Am I scared? No. Cause even if I don't lose a pound, I'm sure I'll have a blast anyway.

To check out the rules and some of our initial reactions to a few of the games, just read more.

So here are the rules: I'll be Wii Fit-ting for 30 minutes each day, maintaining a Fit Approved healthy diet (no extremes here!), as well as maintaining all other normal daily activities that I engage in now (walking to the bus, walking to the store, etc.). Plus, I'll include a weekly run down of my planned activities so if you get your own Wii Fit, you can join in! This should be a true test to whether or not this baby packs a weight loss punch!

To kick off the festivities, a few of us gathered around the flat screen and tried out the Wii Fit for the first time. After registering my height and birthday, WF weighed me in and gave me my BMI (body mass index) and goals to work towards. I have to admit that exercising with the Wii is way more fun than I anticipated, leaving me excited to hit the balance board again tomorrow!

Running
Running with the Wii Fit has you holding the Wiimote in your pocket (or even your hand) while you run in place at different speeds with your guide as you jog through a scenic park. And once our tester was finished, he openly admitted that it was harder than expected.

Hula Hoop
I used to love my hula hoop when I was a kid, so this was totally fun for me! Just by rotating your hips, the Balance Board can sense your motions and has you twisting to catch more hula hoops to up your score. I was breathing harder at the end, so I can imagine that if you really put 100 percent into this exercise that you could get a pretty good ab and hip workout!

Tightrope Walking
Walking across a tightrope high above the ground isn't really anyone's idea of fun, unless it's on the Wii of course! Balance is the name of the game as you walk from one building to another dodging dangerous obstacles by jumping in the air and landing on the rope. . . without falling!

Skiing
Skiing down hill was much much harder than I thought it would be. But truth be told, I'm not much of a skier in the first place! You must slalom through the gates at a good pace to get a great score. I definitely need to practice more of this in my 30 days!

Tune in next week for my first official diary entry as I take on the Wii Fit for a 30 day fitness test!

iWhat? iGot an iPhone 3G!

GeekSugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:10:16 -0700

Well it was worth the wait, because I finally have the iPhone 3G in my hands - and yes, it is much smoother and sleeker thanks to the new durable plastic encasing! This second generation "Jesus phone" is back in action, and holy moly am I excited to load it up with some amazing apps. Aside from the new apps that will keep me entertained, I cannot wait to test out the phone's built-in GPS. So far so good on browser speed (Apple claims it's three to five times faster than the first gen iPhone) and the audio quality has greatly improved. Stay tuned for a full rundown of its specs after I test out its goodies! Christmas in July rocks!

View 5 Photos ›

How To Type Faster

GeekSugar — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 14:00:47 -0700

When I was first learning how to use the computer my grandmother would constantly lecture me about the importance of typing fast. It's a skill that most of us take for granted nowadays - primarily because we type so much we don't pay attention to speed and also because computer use and typing is an integral part of most people's early education. Still, many employers ask for your "words per minute" (or "wpm" for short) score when you are looking for a new job. If you're wondering what your score is, take a free typing test. If you're not satisfied with the results, heed the tips below. read more

Graze over the keys, don't tap. The more force you use, the longer your fingers will rest on each key. To type faster use minimal force.
Focus on typing fast, but don't rush - you'll just make mistakes. You can focus on accuracy by spelling words out while you type.
Keyboard and monitor positioning is key. Your wrist, elbows and keyboard should be on the same horizontal plane and at a 90-degree angle to your upper arms.
The top of your screen should be near eye level. Do not set your monitor too high, or too low. It will cause neck problems.

Want to type faster but hate linear tests? Try a couple games that boost your typing speed.

iDating = iDesperate?

GeekSugar — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 09:00:15 -0700

Sure, we all knew the iPhone is sexy, but did you know it has powerful matchmaking abilities too? Word on the web is "iDating" parties have sprung up in my home base of San Francisco and while I haven't attended one, I'm pretty curious. Niko Atuna, who co-hosts events in SF, is quoted as saying: "iPhone makes speed dating more user-friendly, because you're rejecting a photo not a real person." Atuna's iPhone dating events cost $25 a person.
The iDating events serve the usual social lubricating spirits and bar snacks so fellow iPhone lovers can mix and mingle. When the meet up portion of the evening is completed, participants make dating selections individually from the iPhones displayed in a private area. A personal message is usually sent via iPhone to check out. You are allowed to accept or decline a request for a date after the event. I happen to think liking the iPhone isn't reason enough to date someone, but I suppose this is a geeky and anonymous way to test the dating waters. Would you do it?

Note: The people in this picture are not iDaters. They were just willing to humor me and let me take their picture.

Steve Jobs' Face Appears In Latte?

GeekSugar — Mon, 07 May 2007 04:17:04 -0700

This isn't a cuppa Joe, it's a cuppa Jobs, son...well kinda. A cup with an ode to Jobs. My favorite Mac-ateers, the Cult of Mac were served up this amazing fix of caffeinated geek last week and I couldn't help sharing it with you. Apparently, a man ordered a medium latte at his local cafe and was shocked to discover the barista had, with his mastery of steamed milk, poured a face and the words “I Love Steve Jobs” into his latte. The face turned out to be that of the man who ordered the coffee, Luke Seeley, not Steve Jobs, but I say that's an uncanny resemblance...and a brilliant barista. Apparently, the MacBook Seeley works on in the cafe was a dead giveaway regarding his love for all things Mac. "Needless to say, we spend way too much time there," says Seeley.

In other, less caffeinated news Apple has announced that Steve Jobs, who in case you've been living in pure PC-World is Apple’s CEO, will also appear at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) with a keynote address beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, June 11, 2007 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. Apple plans to show developers a feature complete version of Mac OS X Leopard and give them a beta copy to take home for final testing. Leopard is scheduled to ship in October. Of course, we are all still waiting on news of the official iPhone release date. read more

Here's more:

The five-day event, scheduled to run from June 11 to June 15, will deliver more than 150 sessions and labs aimed at getting the most out of Leopard. The conference will also include new content to serve a wide range of developers, including Mac OS X Immersion Monday, designed to quickly get developers who are new to the Mac up to speed; a content and media track that shows developers the best ways to integrate animation, motion graphics, video, rich-media and web-based content into their applications; and dozens of hands-on labs that offer a unique opportunity to work directly with Apple engineers.

Source