ForbesOnTech

Notes from a Conscript in the Borg Army-- How i've Come to Depend on Bluetooth

I’ve been shanghaied into the Borg army.

            As a Borg conscript, I was first armed with a simple headset. However, geek that I am, “I’ve promoted myself into the Borg’s heavy weapons section.

            My conscription into the ranks of the blue tooth Borg army began nearly six months ago, well in advance of California’s mandatory hands free headset law, which took effect last week. I had a difficulty adjusting to the rigors of Borg boot camp, trying unsuccessfully to connect two head sets to my LG and Palm Treo 650 phones, and a succession of notebooks (including a Thinkpad X60s and a MacBook Pro). Four headsets later, I’ve advanced through the ranks of the Borg Army and have added not only a Bluetooth speakerphone, but also a Logitech Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to my arsenal, as well as some primitive weather instrumentation that sits outside my office.

What surprised me about adding Bluetooth peripherals to my computers and cell phones was that initially it wasn’t very easy to pair headsets with phones, which contradicts the basic premise of how easy it would be to use blue tooth peripherals for sort range networking.

My earliest experiences with Bluetooth were almost comical: I’d wave my headset around in the air, next to, above or below a cell phone or notebook, hoping to establish a link. One day, thoroughly exasperated. I made two trips to the local Fry’s electronics store to exchange headsets I thought were defective because I couldn’t get them to connect.

            Eventually, I bite down on the bullet and finally got through to tech support. After installing new drivers on my notebook, my headset connected. But what I learned on that and subsequent phone calls with tech support is that the combination of Bluetooth and other wireless communications drivers can cause problems.

I found this to be particularly true when I first installed a Bluetooth keyboard to my primary computer. After spending about 20 minutes on the phone with the most patient tech support rep I’ve ever dealt with, I was able to get my keyboard and mouse working and quickly attach a Jabra Bluetooth speakerphone.

As a result of my experience with Bluetooth, I’ve made Jabra headsets and other Bluetooth accessories the de facto standard in my life. They’re easily attached to any of my multiple Bluetooth networks and they produce they best quality audio I’ve ever experiences with any portable device.

Almost nine years after it made it’s first commercial appearance, Bluetooth peripherals are a partr of my everyday computing experience. I use them on my cell phone, on my notebook and desktops and in ways that improve my ability to clearly communicate.

The best example of how Bluetooth really works for me is my dependence on Skype. With my Jabra headset or speakerphone, most people can’t tell I’m working at a table on my front porch—unless one of the local crows or mocking birds, lands in front of me and starts sounding off.—Jim Forbes 07/087/2008.

 

New Trim Gateway T1628, Great Functionality at an Affordable Price

My idea of a good basic notebook computer is one that’s small enough to be carried like a textbook, has at least 2.5 hours of battery life, a fast hard disk with sufficient space for my music and video files, and most of all a screen that puts out enough light to be used in dimly settings like dorm rooms, libraries and even outdoors.  Gateway’s new T-1628, which uses Microsoft’s Windows Vista operating system nails my qualifications and doesn’t cost and arm and a leg.

            This trim 5.5-pound notebook is only 1.3 inches at its tallest point and is 2.95 inches wide by 9.75 inches deep. I like the appearance of its silvery finish on its display case as well as its overall fit and finish. I can use this keyboard tirelessly for hours. I also like the track pad controller used on this system, which supports rapid vertical scrolling.

The performance of the Gateway T-1628 notebook is based on a solid configuration: A 2.0 GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile processor, and an ATI Radeon x 1270 video controller (with 256MB of memory) drives a WXGA14.1-inch TFT screen that delivers very crisp displays. The 250GB hard disk drive turns at 5400 rpm and is fast enough to enhance this system’s performance. Also, this system comes with 3GB of memory (but is expandable to 4GB).

There’s no scrimping on expansion ports on this notebook. It has three USB 2,9 ports, a 5-in-1 card reader, an external VGA port, an RJ45 Ethernet connector and audio jacks. The wireless connectivity on the T1628 supports 802.11 g (which is downwardly compatible with older versions of 802.11 wireless standard. I really like it that Gateway has included an integrated modem on this notebook (which is goes against the trend by many portable manufacturers to drop self contained modems).

The built in DVD/RW player has LightFlash disk labeling, allowing users to create unique labels for disks they create themselves.

Because I still occasionally rely on dialup Internet access when I travel I believe that it’s still too early for modems to join external hard disk drives on the dust heap of computer history.

I was impressed with this notebook’s built-in speakers, which worked very well with my iTunes play lists—which I play rather loudly. Although the screen on this notebook measures only 14.1 inches diagonally, its audio and video subsystems combine to make this a good entertainment-oriented system. TheT-1628 like most portables in this category also includes a 1.3 MPixel camera mounted in the bezel above the screen.

I have only one small complaint about this system: Like most AMD processor-based notebooks I’ve tested, battery life is short of comparable systems that use Intel mobile processors and chipsets. The average battery life for the system I tested (which had a six-cell power pack) was slightly more than 2.5 hours. The second item on my “I wish they had included this” list is support 802.11 n wireless ( which is offered on other comparably priced systems). Both of these small criticisms, however do not take away from this system’s functionality and its extreme utility.

I’ve used this notebook for the last several weeks, toting it in my backpack on trips to San Francisco, Los Angeles and around several college campuses. I’ve found it to be a powerful, rock solid, performer that met and exceeded my expectations and requirements.  Most of all, it’s inexpensive (well under $800 at some retail outlets) and worth serious consideration by anyone who needs a fully functional notebook that’s as easy to carry from classroom to classroom as a college text book or science lab book.

Because of its feature set, performance and value, I think members of the military should consider packing this machine in their kit before deploying. I also think this would be an excellent notebook to send away with college-bound kids.

There’s been a very positive change at Gateway over the last several years, due I believe in a large part to the number of first-rate marketing, engineering and design personnel who joined this company from Toshiba. The proof of their competence can be seen in systems such as the T-1628 and the Gateway One, a remarkable all-in one desktop that’s every bit as stylish and functional as an Apple iMac.—Jim Forbes 05/13/2008

 

News.com's M. Reardon Blog on the Wireless Networks Future -- A Must Read

A blog entry By News.com’s Marguerite Reardon that appeared this morning here begs reading by anyone who’s interested in the future of cellular networks. Ms Reardon uses a filing by Verizon signaling its intent to open its network to unlocked devices as the basis for a well thought out riff on open wireless networks. I like it that she took the time to put two and two together in this entry to get to an important, but very obvious conclusion; open networks will foster creativity and the development of next generation devices and services. MsReardon’s blogs are one of a small handful of reporter social media essays I try to read. If you’re interested in the present and future status of wireless, I recommend her posts.

Lenovo's ThinkPad X300--Setting a New Standard with World Class Features

Santa came early this year, dropping off a Lenovo ThinkPad X300 with a dual core processor, smd a 64GB SSD integrated drive. A

Right off the top, I’m impressed and will go out on a limb and predict that the X 300 could become the standard against which future generations portable computers aimed at executive and other “power users“, will be judged.

I like the X300’s size: 12.5” x 9.1” x 0.92” (at its thickest point). Equipped with a three cell battery and an integrated DVD burner drive, the X300 weighs a feathery 3.13 pounds. The size and weight of this new ThinkPad combine to make it one of the least intrusive notebooks I’ve ever tested. In fact for the first several days I carried the X300, I had to remind myself occasionally that it was nestled safely in my backpack. It’s that unobtrusive. Furthermore, it’s form factor lends itself to the notion that it’s a great replacement for the ubiquitous and notepads you see executives bring to meetings. It’s capabilities enhance this notion.

In order to write what I think is a comprehensive review of the X300, I’ve used it exclusively for the last four days under a variety of conditions, including a short flight and outside amidst the clutter of an extensive remodel/addition project at my home. Over four days I’ve run through numerous battery charge/discharge cycles, used the X 300 on a variety of wireless networks, and schlepped this stylish machine in my very ugly, but utilitarian, backpack all over two major college campuses.

I like the fit and finish of the X300 a great deal. It’s a very rugged portable and it incorporated new roll cage that helps to protect your investment in this $3,000-plus notebook and the data stored in its Solid State and hard disk drives. The X300 supports both a track stick pointer and a track pad cursor controller.

The X300’s full-size keyboard is a dream to use for extended periods. Despite my oafishly large hands and fingers, I can pound away on the X300’s keyboard for hours on end with no discomfort or cramping. Furthermore. The finish of the keys on the X300 has been enhanced to help the lettering on the keys last 3 to four times longer than previous ThinkPad keyboards. Lenovo’s use of a new textured (rubber) paint on the X300’s palm rest is the sort of touch you come to expect from the ThinkPad design team.

The overall user experience with the X300 is first rate. One of the first things I noticed was that it booted up much faster than the X40 and X60 family subcompacts I’ve used for the last year. Moreover, the 64 GB Solid State Drive (SSD) lets you run multiple applications without incurring the penalty associated with electro-mechanical hard disk drives.

One of the real improvements found in the X300 is a backlit LCD, which reduces eye strain when you use the system in low light settings like class rooms., conference and other settings. The X300’s 13.3-inch LCD drives a WXGA 1440 by 900 pixel display with 128 dots per inch saturation. It’s the best display I’ve ever seen in any of the approximately 80 small form factor notebooks I’ve reviewed since 1992. There are two other attributes on this machine which set it apart from the other thin and light now on the market (the MacBook Air): the first is it’s built in optical disk (which lets you watch and burn DVDs; the second is the availability of an optional second battery that its in the same slot as the optical disk. With its scond battery in place and a six cell power pack in its battery well. The X300 should deliver a first rate coast to coast computing experience with enough power to spare to listen te your music or watch your favorite DVD.

I really appreciate the new entertainment features on the X300. So did the fellow baby boomer sitting beside me in the economy seat on a recent flight. He said “Hey man, I saw the Doobies perform that tune at the Farewell Concert in Berkley years ago.”

I slid my x300 to his tray and offered him my headphones. “Yup that ‘s how I remember their sound,” he said

Amen, brother.

One of my personal dreams over the last six years has been a concept called “pervasive computing.” (persistent wireless connectivity via WiFi, WWAN or other untethered media). The X300 delivers on this dream in spades, extending it to peripherals through its use of wireless USB. Although wireless peripherals are just now becoming available, you can expect to see this capability as a standard capability in most new peripherals in the coming year.

What the X300 doesn’t do is deliver persistent connectivity in a small highly functional package that drains batteries in minutes. I was amazed to note that the six-cell primary battery pack consistently delivered about 5.3 hours of power without umy reverting to extreme power management.

Lenovo isn’t the first notebook company to deliver a thin lightweight portable. In fact this is the second run for this form factor. In the late 1990’s I reviewed a number of thin and lights from manufacturers such as Mitsubishi, Hewlett Packard and Sharp. Unfortunately, those machines lacked sufficient battery life and most ended up classed dismissively as “executive jewelry.” before they were discontinued.

The X300 is one of the first 21^st Century notebooks I’ve seen that has a feature set that will stay in step with most users’ needs for a long time to come. The X300 can put a hard lock on your data and has such a strong set of communications capabilities that’s it’s almost impossible to imagine ever being anywhere where you couldn’t connect to the Internet (even if that means you had to use an optional USB modem for dial-up.

ThinkPad X300 also comes standard with a 1.3 Mpixel camera in the bezel above its screen and an integrated digital microphone. The combination really enhances video conferencing on Skype and other VOIP/integrated messaging services. Th X300 has three USB ports, gigabyte Ethernet, external microphone and audio jacks and an external video port.

In summary, Lenovo’s X300 has the technology to set a new portable computing standard and the capabilities and power to make short shrift of any computing task, whether it’s performed in a conference room, an airplane cabin flying from Tedium to Apathy, or on a cluttered job site like the addition I’m building here at my home in rural northern San Diego County. It’s not just a safe decision, it’s a technologically savvy and very secure investment.--Jim Forbes 02/25/2008.

{Mandatory disclosure: in the 1990’s I was a member Of IBM’s mobile advisory council.}

Korean Cell Phone 1;Man 0-- Exploding Cell Phone Snuffs ROK Quarry Worker

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- An exploding mobile phone battery apparently killed a South Korean man in the first such known case in this gadget-obsessed country, police say.

The man, identified only by his family name Suh, was found dead at his workplace in a quarry Wednesday morning and his mobile phone battery was melted in his shirt pocket, a police official in Cheongwon, 135 kilometers (85 miles) south of Seoul, told The Associated Press.

"We presume that the cell phone battery exploded," the police official said on condition of anonymity.

The official said the phone was made by South Korea's LG Electronics, the world's fifth-biggest handset maker.

LG Electronics confirmed its product was involved in the accident but said such a battery explosion and death was virtually impossible.

The operant words in the above paragraph include:"was virtually impossible."

Regrettably the poor chappy in the Korean quarry is actually and virtually DEAD.

Alas poor Suh, I didn't know him well, or even at all.  But we all get our 15 minutes of fame, even if its a footnote pointing out the name of the first person to be killed by an exploding cell phone.--Jim Forbes 11/28/2009

Now admit it, the Luddite in you has been waiting for this to happen for years. Right?

Biometric Security; It's Not Limited to Finger Print Readers on Corporate Notebooks

I try to be honest about technology that I use intentionally, or which I am forced to accept because of its integration in hardware.

            So let’s talk about biometric security devices.  Some years ago I was involved in a series of twice-a-year discussions about whether so-called “corporate notebooks” would have to include biometric security to qualify for adoption by volume buyers. The atmosphere for those discussions was better than any graduate class I’ve ever taken. Members of the discussion group were free to explore, take and defend positions.

            At that time, I had ambivalent feelings about biometrics:

1                    I did not like anything that increased the amount of time it takes me to get going on a portable computer and biometrics then added about 15 to 30 seconds to the startup time.

2                    I could clearly see that some large organizations, federal agencies or large sales organizations were correct in doing everything they could to safe guard tactically and strategically critical information stored on something as easily pilfered as a portable computer.

3                    Biometrics security devices would increase the bill-of-materials costs of portable computers.

4                    At the time, the market for portable computers was beginning to become cost sensitive.

5                    I was unconvinced that biometrics of the then day couldn’t be defeated. I wasn’t alone in this either. At a Mobile Council Meeting in 2000, I had to stop laughing when the only analyst I regard as a legitimate “futurist” (MR) then at Dataquest pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and pulled out what at first I thought was a medical finger cot. The analyst snapped the cot on his finger, said “watch this” and defeated the biometric device in a single swipe of his sheathed finger.

My feelings about biometric security have changed radically over the last five years. Today, I can’t imagine not using a portable computer that doesn’t include this feature. My reason isn’t that I’m toting super secret information on my laptop. It’s that I rely on my notebook too much to risk losing the data files I use as the basis of my taxes and investing decisions, or the data associated with an all-consuming remodel/addition project that’s underway here at my house.

            And looking back in time, I think I should have been a stronger advocate for this technology in the late Nineties and into this century.

            I still don’t like it that biometrics add to my boot time. However, I suspect that hard disk technology is about to make that argument moot. Like a lot of people who watch portable computing, it’s become very hard for me not to imagine new notebooks rolling out with hybrid disk drives that use flash memory to support rapid boot up.

            And more than any other technology, hybrid drives will reduce start up and come-on from Hibernation boot times, as well as help tame Vista; all of which are good things.

            But biometrics security hardware isn’t limited to finger printed readers.  A couple of far thinking notebook designers have realized that the integrated cameras mounted on display bezels can be used just as effectively as finger print readers.  And in the immediate future you’ll begin to see biometric facial recognition become a standard feature, not just on corporate notebooks, but on consumer portables sold by the thousands to home office and academic computer users.

            Like I said earlier, sometimes a really important technology slips into my life because it’s a minor part of a technology that I rely on. Biometrics falls into this category and I’ve changed from a doubting Thomas to a True Believer. Now I just wish someone would come up with a one-click solution that lets me use my notebook’s integrated camera to create video greeting cards.

            But that’s something I’ll write about later this week. Jim Forbes. 11/25/2007.

Confessions of a Technological Fire Refugee-- the San Diego Fires Part II (Hazily From Inside the Valley of Fire)

Fire Blogging Part II

A Technological Refugee's Notes and Observations

Rather than using the second part of my fire blog for spot news, I thought I'd post some more observations using the a refugee point of view.

Fire Safety and Bugging out

First off, Reverse 911 emergency call systems rule. the first phone call from the Escondido police department came in mid morning on Monday. I had about three hours notice to get ready. I spent most of the time, making sure my home on my little mountaintop not far from the San Diego wilderness was "fire safe."

     Briefly, by "fire safe" I mean collecting and disposing of all tinder that has accumulated near my house as a result of the wind storms. I than soaked the edges of my neighbors' uncut field and the row of scrub oak that lines the small private road winding up the mountain to my house. My final task was to fire up my yard tractor, pick a stretch of dying law, lower the blade till it came into contact with the earth and create a fuel free "safety zone." I actually did this twice: Once to create a fuel free zone to park my Toyota 4Runner in front of my house and the second time to create a place to retreat in case the fire broke through while I was still at home.

    I then parked my tractor and ATV in safe spots away from the house left the keys in the ignition, and rechecked the contents of my "Go Bag" (a bright red Swiss Army back pack with a change of skivies, fresh socks,two days worth of prescriptions, some Tylenol, notepad and pen, digital camera, fully charged cell phone and notebook computer, appropriate chargers, cell phone and wireless Skype phone. I have two bottles of water on the outside of my backpack, one for me and one for my domestic pets.

     The next to last things I threw in the back of my fully fueled Prius were pet food, a bag of kitty litter, a plastic litter tray and a case of bottled water as well as an extra set of clothes including a light weight jacket and extra tie-dyed t-shirt. The reverse 911 mandatory neighborhood evacuation call came early Monday afternoon.

     When the call came, I stuffed my two useless cats in their crates, got hissed at, leashed up my bug-eyed PTSD afflicted chihuahua and got the hell off my mountain top.

     I was interviewed yesterday by a couple of news people who are not native Southern Californians. Both people thought I had a "casual approach to being evacuated."

     I was quite frank in my reply "I don't have a single thing that can't be replaced" and my personal worse case scenario is my house burns to its concrete foundations.

     If that happens all that happens is that I rebuild on my mountaintop. I have good insurance, outstanding credit and am ready for some retail therapy anyway. When the call came, I was ...gone in two minutes.

     Having worked as a reporter covering big wildlands fires that take out parts of towns, I've seen first hand what happens when people delay

evacuation. Burns are unbelievably painful and its not something I chance. 

     I did stop on my way to the evacuation point to make sure the two elderly neighbors at the base of my mountain were ready to go and out their doors.

     As i looked east i saw the flames from the Witch Creek fire in the general area of two houses set in rural lots.  Both houses were lost in the blaze and no one was hurt.

h

Surprise, Surprise, The evac center is full up

So I was directed to an "overflow center" about 1/2 mile away. I followed the line of cars, parked in a large parking lot away from trees and went in the school gymnasium to register. The process was simple, took almost no time and the center had chilled water, juice and snacks on hand.

     I can't thank the staff and students at the Calvan Christian Academy in Escondido enough. There evac center was staffed entirely by volunteers from the neighborhood and the school and everything was, clean and well run. Even the "computer room" was open to evacuees.

    Talk about the miracle of loves and fishes. The center served dinner at 6:30 for a crowd that I estimate to have been as large as 2000 people. No one went away hungry. By 9:00 pm, people were settling in for the night on cots or in the cars in the parking lot. Calvan did this without any help from the Red Cross and did a first rate job of providing emergency shelter and food.  Outstanding.

     Down the street at Escondido High School, the fenced PE field had been turned into an ad hoc horse corral. I am very surprised at the number of horses in Escondido.Even the live stock was well cared for by volunteers with horses and goats alike being fed and watered regularly. seeing some big red horses and a couple of huge mules made me remember how much I like horse flesh.

    With the glow of the Witch Creek fire fading to my east, I returned home to my mountain top around 10 pm where i sat out on the porch listening to the winds, the sound of the fire and happily noticing that it had moved away from my neighborhood at last

Media Misses Mark Day One

    On Monday of this week local media blew it. Most of the news was incredibly superficial and there was almost no granular detail on what roads were open out of San Diego. By Tuesday this had changed as the California Office of Emergency Services  (OES)stepped in to make sure the 250,000 temporarily dispossessed residents o San Diego County knew where shelters were located, whether or not they were still "open" and most of all, where citizens could get more detailed information.

     Once OES stepped in, the level of panic dropped noticeably and people at the shelters began to settle in. Also, the rambling, sometimes accusatory comments on talk radio dropped measurably.

     Forest fire emergencies should not be used by talk radio to advance popular conservative causes.  I freely shared my bottled water with any family I saw parked by the side o I-15, waiting for the freeway to clear. Whether they were legal or not wasn't material. helping my people is more important to me than a popular cause.

Fire oddities:

     A public service message broadcast Tuesday advised horse owner that the SPCA and an equine rescue operation  were accepting horses on Shelter Island.  Wow, did that make me think, Swim horses and live stock through Mission Bay?  Well Shelter Island is connected to civilization by a bridge, so getting "Swaps, Citation or Man o'War" over there shouldn't be much of a problem. by Tuesday evening Shelter Island was awash in horseflesh as well as the occasional goat "stable buddy." I admit I Find the image of horses going to an island funny in a comforting kind of way.

     Two hours after I got home an explosion of fleeing sparrows bolting from the Forbes bird day spa and resort complex in my garden, followed by loud squawking made me look out the window where--two gray African parrots where feasting on the apple and jicama chunks in my bird feeder and then loudly taking a bath in the stock trough I use as a bird bath.  Damn parrots left a ring of dirt in the bird bath after the flew away looking for avocados.

     My dog has a definite case of wild fire related PTSD.  This is his second fire and he's not very happy about smelling smoke.

Where's da planes, boss?

     Local talk radio spent a lot of time crying about the lack of air tanker support early this week. The US Navy responded on Tuesday with a score of SeaHawk choppers (the Naval variant of the Army's UH 60 Black Hawk) that beat back flames throughout the county. the reason the large aerial tankers weren't flying is because of the shifting Santa Ana winds, which can change directions rapidly-- not a good thing for a plane carrying 20,000 pounds of retardant trying to center on a drop run.

     C-130 air tankers are already on station this morning, 50 minutes before first light. Fortunately for air and ground crews, this will make air tanker operations safer.

     With air assets in the air the Witch Creek fire should be stopped before it gets to Hawaii.

Refugee High tech

I never go anywhere without my notebook which has integrated 802.11 WiFi and broadband wireless.  I used both extensively while i was away from my house. at the evacuation center, I spent about two hours sending emails on behalf of others gathered in the parking lot.

Another key piece of technology is my Belkin wireless SKype phone. If it's reasonably near an open WiFi network, it finds and logs into Skype where I use it to make out-of-network calls.  It's audio quality is very good, it's easy to use and it has a very long battery life. I"m surprised more evacuation centers don't know about this technology since it can substantially reduce traffic on cell networks in emergencies.

     Skype wireless phones may be one of the most important technology tools you can pack in your personal "Get Out of Town Bag."

     Another great technology I use is ham radio.  the emergency two and six meter networks in Southern California were up and running almost as soon as th first wild lands fire fighting rigs were rolling on responses.  Listening to the traffic on my tiny hand held transceiver I was amazed at the coordination and help ham radio operators provided in this fire season. It's a long tradition I'm glad to see continuing into the 21st Century

I'm going to post this now. As i write this the only visible fies are to my north on Palomar Mountain and in Fallbrook. I can hear the engines of overhead air tankers and the distant sound of sirens as reserve fire trucks and dozers make their way to the fires. And as usual, my hats off and cold bottles of Coca Cola freely extended to the wild lands and city and county firefighters who battled he flames on four sides of my town to a standstill and probably stopped the Witch Creek fire from spreading to Hawaii.  hack, hack, cough--Jim Forbes 10/24/2007 from smokey Escondido, CA.

Fire Blogging, A Refugee's Observations and Why I Love my Ultra Portable and Verizon Broadband

The “prepare to evacuate order” came by phone at 9 a.m. this gray ultra smoky morning.  So, off I went through the house rounding up my two useless cats, and my bug-eyed road buddy Perro, making sure I loaded cat food, cans of Mighty Dog and sundry bedding for my pets, just in case I had to abandon my home here on a little mountain top in Escondido. I also made sure  my X60 notebook with its WWAN Verizon data network was charged and in the back of my trusty little Prius, along with my cell phone and “get out of town in a hurry bag.”

By 11 am, the visibility was down to less than one-quarter mile and a second fire had erupted down by Lake Hodges, which is south of me.  The main blaze however is less than one mile away and it’s being supercharged by 55 mph Santa Ana winds.

            First and foremost I am fire aware southern California boy. So right after the first notification came in, I fired up the tractor and cleared a 100by 75-foot safety spot away from my house. I cleared everything down to BME (bare mineral earth, then moved my SUV to the its separate safety spot and covered my boat’s 6 gallon gas tank and my two-gallon gas can in a potato mound I excavated this weekend. Then I covered it with a shake and bake fire blanket and soaked my garden, hastily picking up blown down palm fronds that have come off my 70 foot palm tree in the windstorm. 

            The big out call came from the police department around 1 p.m. so I loaded up my useless cats and my road dog and off I went to an evacuation center at the north end of Escondido. I stayed there until about 6 tonight and decided to haul ass for Azusa, where I know my dog and useless cats will be safe for the night.

As I write this the eastern and southern sky are cherry red and the smoke is pretty intense. I’ve thought a lot about what’s left up at the house. My gianty ag water canons are hooked up and on a timer.  At 8:30 tonight they’ll start soaking my lower yard and the front of my house.  There’s a lot to be said for having 135 PSI water pressure. Well at least, if the fire gets to my house, I’ll come home to some nice black sooty mud.

            My attitude about fleeing my house is simple: other than my pets, I don’t have anything I can’t replace. Been there done that in life. But I may appear like some grizzled super salty vet, I’m not the least bit ashamed to admit that I’m very afraid of being seriously burned, again. I was burned pretty seriously as a kid. I had 3^rd degree burns on about 50 percent of my legs.  The pain is something you have to experience to believe. It’s quite unforgettable.

            So I don’t take chances with fire. If the Witch Creek fire takes my house, I can always rebuild. I can’t replace my buddy Perro or my two useless cats, so I keep them close at hand and safe.

            But I wanted to write tonight about some things I observed at the evacuation center and by watching local and regional media (particularly a.m.talk radio). The evacuation center had a computer room set up. It was filled to overflowing with kids, playing interactive games. Not one kid has his browser parked on the local newspapers web site, or on websites belonging to any of the San Diego news radio stations. Had it been me, I would have put a responsible kid in front of a computer with strict orders to relay any news to the 2,000 or so of us at the evacuation center. There was almost no incoming news prior to 630 p.m, so I pulled out my cell and called the North County Times and got in touch with the deputy M.E., explaining who I was and asking what news they had. I was particularly interested in what routes out of Escondido were open since I-15 has been closed all day and th east west arterials to I-5 were also closed because of the more than half dozen fires raging down here now.

            I can’t begin to say how much I don’t like being in a valley surrounded on three sides by fire with no surface routes out of here. Hey if I were a reporter working the fire story, the second set of questions I would have asked the highway patrol commander is “when do you expect to allow traffic through and what exit routes are open?” It took until 6:15 tonight for the local Fox station in San Diego to get their traffic reporter to say “ yes, you can get out northbound, isfyou take I-15 to the Pala exit east to the Pala Casino, then turn left on Temecula Road and take it north to the big casino in Temecula where you can get on I-15 north again.”

            But back to the process of being an evacuee: The volunteers at the overflow evacuation center I was directed to were incredible. They provided treats. Chilled beverages, water and hope to the 2,000 or so people who were there, and who ate dinner and spent the night on the gymnasium’s floor. I mean I can’t praise them enough. They put on nice spaghetti feed and provided games and television for kids and adults.  And no pet at the evacuation center went without water and at least a knish and a reaffirming stroke between their ears.

            With the one exception of the San Diego AM radio fox affiliate, the new has been incredibly superficial. There have been almost no details on what routes are open or how to get to the Fallbrook Gate of Camp Pendleton to drive across the base and get on I-5, which is open to Los Angeles. But there has been a lot of sniveling from one specific radio talk show host, Roger Hedgecock on the lack of air tanker support for the San Diego firestorm. Never mind that the winds make it unsafe for tankers to fly, or that the voters of San Diego turned down a bond measure that would have provided organic air tanker support in 2003. The bond was turned down because it would have increased taxes. Well D’oh!

            The inability or unwillingness of AM radio to provide detailed information on the status of communities effected by the fires in San Diego is one of the most damning comments that can be made about talk radio today. There are more than 200,000 residents of this county that have been evacuated to centers tonight and all talk and news radio can do is provide superficial overviews of fire status and not one scintilla of granular detail.

            It’s enough to make me weep. Or maybe that’s just the particulate solids in the smoke filled air tonight in San Diego County.         

            Well, I’ve got to tend to my grove and then set my alarm clock for midnight, to make sure that my mountaintop is still safe.

            To my friends and family that read my sometimes odd ramblings; every one is tucked in and safe, here on my little mountaintop in rural northern San Diego County where I can move my water canons by the fiery light of the Witch Creek Fire. Cough cough, Jim Forbes on 10/22/2007.

Thank God for Great Portable Computers and Persistent Connectivity.

            I literally never go anywhere without my ThinkPad X60 convertible notebook. It’s become such an integral part of my life that I now automatically keep it charged when its noit in use so it’s always ready to go.

            Tonight, at an evacuation center I booted it up and quickly bought a $15 day pass on the Verizon broadband network to get up to the minute news on the fires that surround the little town where I live (Escondido ,CA).

            Arriving at the evacuation center I was pleased to see that they had set up a “computer room” with a wireless network.  My pleasure quickly turned to anger after I noticed that the room was filled with unsupervised kids playing games on the computers.  Not one of the youngsters was checking web sites for fire information. So, I sat down with a cup of coffee and checked road closures on the Cal Tran web site as well as looked for bulletins on my local paper’s web site.

            Cutting and pasting information into a Google Docs document, I wandered over to the information board and had someone—a teacher who worked at the school which was the over flow evacuation center to which I had been directed —write the updates on an information bulletin board. My handwriting is illegible; her’s was schoolmarm perfect.

            I’m writing this on my trusty X60 tablet now. It has about four hours of battery life remaining and I my day pass on Verizon is good until tomorrow night.  Me, my notebook and persistent wireless connectivity, it doesn’t get any better and it makes me feel all snuggly safe, as I watch a crimson sky through incredibly thick smoke. So here I am, same bat time, same bat channel_ JMF

Should Operating Systems Matter Anymore?

I've been watching two of the smartest bloggers I know begin to explore the question "Do operating systems matter any more?

The initial discussion opened up here and got picked up as a post by David Churbuck on his blog here. This conversation and my growing dependence on web-based applications has forced me to ask myself "Do I really need to care who makes my operating system?"

I'm writing this on Google Docs and spreadsheets so I guess I've answered my own question. For the moment, I really don't care much whether I use an operating system developed by Microsoft, Apple or Adam's off ox.

    What I care about is connectivity and occasional local computing. And reliability and efficiency.

Microsoft has had it's decades in the sun. But it's latest operating system may be it's biggest commercial failure. From my side of the computer, Vista is a pig wearing vermilion lipstick and bright red rouge. I used it on a convertible notebook I had for about two weeks and disliked its performance and memory footprint. I really don't want to go back to Vista and I honestly don't want to be forced into using an operating system because it's the only choice I have on my preferred hardware platform.

    Going a step further, let me add that I"m not your average computer user.  I bought a spiffy 15-inch MacBook Pro last year and found some of its features so unsuited for my basic requirements that I sold it  to a friend who works for an all-Macintosh company.

I try hard to be specific in my criticisms. What turned me off about my MacBook Pro was the sub-par range of its WiFi transceiver and the fact that it ran very warm

     But I'm writing this morning about why anyone should give a damn about operating systems, not about why I disliked the MacBook Pro I bought and discarded.

    But there were and are things I really like about Apple today and right at the top of the list is the OSX operating system family and Apple's iLife applications. I believe OSX sets a very high bar for all operating systems. It's rock solid, fast and very reliable. Secondarily, the bundled applications included with the Mac may be the best ever shipped with any personal computer.Ever! And the iLife software suite works very well with Apple's OSX operating system. Unlike Vista it doesn't choke up when I switch apps.

     Moreover, OSX can accommodate 4GB of system memory, but moves out nicely with much less memory. Vista by comparison wants 2GB for full functionality but still requires that some programs run in a "compatibility" mode.

    And Linux? Give me a break. For all I care the penguin could be dropped into a try pot at some whaling station in the Baja Falklands and rendered into earth-friendly, biologically inert, facial soap.

     I use a personal computer to perform specific tasks, some of which could not otherwise be done very easily. My blog is one example.

          I really don't want to be forced into learning operating system minutiae. I also don't think most other PC users really want to be forced to become  network engineers or systems analysts. The God's truth for me is that such discussions are about as useful as enthusiast's arguments over an automobile store parts counter on what modification to an upright 1600cc Volkswagen engine produces the most horsepower. There was a time in my life when I cared about such things. That time ihas now passed. I want my operating system  and my computer to be like my Toyota Prius; I hit a round "on" button and I get to the task at hand without really thinking about what makes it possible.

     So please, please spare me the arguments about the efficiency of various "kernels" and "page swaps." I really,really, don't need, or want, to know about them. I just want to accomplish my sundry tasks. It's  personal computing, damn it, not the crusades.

     But there is an angle to this discussion that I care a lot about. It has to do with the underlying hardware and the capabilities it provides. Any hardware I use has to be drop dead reliable,  very sturdy (and for the sake of this discussion and its relevance to mobile computing-- which after all is one of this blog's primary topics, it has to be light enough for me to tot around for hours at a time and be able to get an Internet connection no matter where I am, the very first time I use it.

    I'm relying on shrink wrapped applications less and less today, so time to initial productivity is a key consideration when it comes to any portable computer I choose. Time spent looking at my fingernails as my computer loads an operating system is wasted time in my life. So the quicker an operating system gets out of my way, the happier I am.

All I want is a simple, solid operating system. I really don't want to spend a lot of time learning intricate keyboard dances to get to work, or having to remember to switch to a compatibility mode in order to run TroutFinder 2.0 as I sit by the side of some mountain road, waiting for my notebook to boot up perched beside me on the home built wood doghouse nestled between the driver's and passenger's seats in my beloved '68 Volkswagen bus.

     Operating Systems. Discussions about toasters are nearly as interesting. Oh, there are no magazines called "Toaster", "toaster Week", or "Toaster World."

     Well that's my two pennies worth--Jim Forbes, 10/09/2007.

Mesh Networking Begins to Come of Age

One of the most incredible technology demonstrations I ever picked for Demo was of 802.11 ad hoc mesh networking. The Demonstrator was SRI in Menlo Park and the technology had been developed for the USMC as part of their urban warfare technology.

When the technology was described to me months in advance of Dem, all the cosmic gears, sprockets and drive elements went “click” and I instantly understood that the technology could have far-reaching implications beyond the Marines and their need to keep data and other networks up and running under the most adverse of conditions.

            SRI’s demonstration caught the attention of venture investors, entrepreneurs and press. Everyone who saw it immediately understood what it meant to see a network expand with the simple addition of another portable computer equipped with the right software and hardware. The audience also understood the meaning of a “dead node” in a combat 802.11 network.

            SRI’s technology is still very fresh in my mind, long after it was unveiled at Demo. As a result of the that demo, I went on to pick several other mesh networking companies, notably Sky Pilot Networks, now a mesh hardware supplier, but which was originally chartered to be a public networking supplier.

Two ther companies in this space that deserve watching are Firetide Networks (pick by Chis Shipey to launch at Demo 2003) and Packet Networks ( a  co-founder of which  is the former SRI researcher credited with pioneering mesh networks).

Instant wireless networking (another name for 802.11 mesh networks) has scored a number of impressive wins since it was unveiled six years ago. It’s now used extensively by the Department of Defense, emergency services agencies and municipalities to increase the flow of information in a variety of circumstances.

Firetide is one example of how instant wireless networking suppliers have been able to quickly capitalize on the growth of wireless networking. Since its founding in 2003, it has gone on to create a partner network that specializes in installing instant user-configurable wireless networks for anyone that wants to deploy wireless VOIP, video surveillance and high speed internet connectivity. Meru Networks, Netgear, AirPath Wireless and Pronto Networks.

Packet Networks has been equally successful in the public sector.

            Mesh networking is an important is also a part of educational computing where college level instructors are using it to create instant networks that are used for field work. One of the most unusual instant networks was highlighted recently in the blog of HP’s educational computing evangelist, Jim Vanides. One of Vanides more unusual posts here, concerns an enterprising geology professor who organizes multi car caravans that take students on field tours for a geology class. The far-thinking professor has built a power point deck that outlines the geologic features the students see as they whiz along at 60 or more miles an hour. The students sre using tablet PCs equipped with wireless adapters and mesh networking software. Presumably, the professor is controlling the display of PowerPoint slides from a passenger seat somewhere along the rolling classroom. I can only hope that student drivers aren’t glued to the slides on their notebooks and talking on their cell phones while they drive.

            Instant mesh networking, it’s a technology that can transform educational and all other categories of porftable computing.—Jim Forbes, wirelessly from my palm fronded outside office on a small mountaintop in rural San Diego County on 09/04/2007.  Woops, I guesss that was a small earthquake offshore. Fins up!

(mandatory disclosure:  Prior to retiring after a stroke kicked my butt in the hours before I was to have opened a Demo show, I produced DemoMobile, worked with Chris Shipley on Demo and wrote the printed and online versions of the DemoLetter and DemoMobile Letter.).