GSA Technology Council

Archive for the ‘Personal Tech’ Category

We’re Live at Noon!

Phil Yanov - Your DayWe’ll be taking technology calls live at noon today on the ETVRadio stations in South Carolina. Whether it’s digital photography, the iPad, using wireless technology, or how to find a good home for your old laptop, you can give us a call.

WEDNESDAY October 20, 2010

A live call-in hour on the Internet and related technologies. Eric Rodgers hosts Phil Yanov, executive director of the GSA Technology Council and blogger at Thinkhammer. Listeners can call in via the tollfree number 888-539-8859 to ask questions about using the Internet, computers, new digital devices, and related topics.

The program is Your Day and it is carried across the ETV Radio Network. That’s 90.1 FM in the Upstate starting at Noon (or listen to the live web steam).

Also don’t forget, there are only a few hours left to register for Tech After Five tonight in Greenville. Register at Ta5 Greenville

We’re On the Radio Today!

Phil Yanov - Your DayWe’ll be taking technology calls live at noon today on the ETVRadio stations in South Carolina. Whether it’s digital photography, the iPad, using wireless technology, or how to find a good home for your old laptop, you can give us a call.

WEDNESDAY September 29, 2010

A live call-in hour on the Internet and related technologies. Eric Rodgers hosts Phil Yanov, executive director of the GSA Technology Council and blogger at Thinkhammer. Listeners can call in via the tollfree number 888-539-8859 to ask questions about using the Internet, computers, new digital devices, and related topics.

The program is Your Day and it is carried across the ETV Radio Network. That’s 90.1 FM in the Upstate starting at Noon. (or listen to the live web steam.)

Live at Noon!

Phil Yanov - Your DayWe’ll be taking technology calls live at noon today on the ETVRadio stations in South Carolina. Whether it’s digital photography, the iPhone 4, using wireless technology, or how to find a good home for your old laptop, you can give us a call.

WEDNESDAY, August 18, 2010

A live call-in hour on the Internet and related technologies. Eric Rodgers hosts Phil Yanov, executive director of the GSA Technology Council and blogger at Thinkhammer. Listeners can call in via the tollfree number 888-539-8859 to ask questions about using the Internet, computers, new digital devices, and related topics.

The program is Your Day and it is carried across the ETV Radio Network. That’s 90.1 FM in the Upstate beginning at Noon. (or listen to the live web steam.)

Samsung N150 Netbook debuts on Verizon Wireless Network

Verizon Wireless and Samsung Electronics Corporation announced that the Samsung N150™ netbook is available for order today. The Samsung N150 combines a sleek design with up to seven hours of battery life and built-in Verizon Wireless Mobile Broadband network connectivity.

Lifestyle features

Powerful Intel® Atom™ N450 1.66 GHz processor and Windows® 7 Starter that run multiple applications and deliver great performance

· Built-in connectivity to the nation’s largest and most reliable 3G network

· Global Ready with a pre-installed SIM Card for access in more than 200 countries, more than 110 with 3G speeds

· Built-in chargeable USB port that serves as a charger for mobile devices even when the Samsung N150 is turned off

· Samsung Support Center provides a single hub for Samsung performance applications such as online customer support, recovery and backup, and troubleshooting

Additional specifications:

Weight: 2.73 pounds

· Size: 10.4” x 7.4” x 1.05”

· Stylish, glossy black finish with rounded edges for user comfort

· 93 percent full-size keyboard for easy typing

· Memory: up to 1 GB DDR2

· Screen: 10.1” non-glare LCD WSVGA LED backlight

· Resolution: 1024 x 600

· Graphics: Intel GMA 3150

· Webcam

· External VGA (15-pin) port

· Stereo speakers

· Memory card slot: 3-in-1 Multi Memory Card (SD/SDHC/MMC)

· Hard drive: 160 GB 5400 RPM (max)

· Mobile Broadband radio/frequency bands: CDMA/1X/EV-DO Rev. A: 800/1900 MHz; UMTS/HSPA: 850/1900/2100 MHz; GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

· Wi-Fi®: 802.11 b/g/n

· LAN: 10/100 Ethernet

· Battery: 6 cell (4,4000mAh) that delivers up to seven hours of battery life on a single charge

· Bluetooth® connectivity: Bluetooth V2.1 + EDR

Pricing and availability:

· The Samsung N150 is available for order today in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores for $49.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. A promotional price of $29.99 with a new two-year customer agreement is available at www.verizonwireless.com/netbooks.

· Customers will need to choose one of the following Mobile Broadband plan options:

o $39.99 monthly access for 250 MB monthly allowance and $0.10/MB overage

o $59.99 monthly access for 5 GB monthly allowance and $0.05/MB overage

o Prepaid Mobile Broadband plans are also available:

§ $15 for 75 MB (one day of use)

§ $30 for 250 MB (one week of use)

§ $50 for 500 MB (one month of use)

· Customers traveling abroad can sign up for one of the following GlobalAccess plans:

o GlobalAccess Monthly Plan, which starts at $129.99 for monthly access (5 GB allowance for the United States and Canada, $0.05/MB overage) with 100 MB allowance in select destinations ($0.005/KB after allowance). Customers who require higher usage when traveling abroad can take advantage of the $219.99 monthly access plan that offers 200 MB allowance with the same rates for overage as the $129.99 plan.

o GlobalAccess Pay Per Use for occasional use must be purchased with a $59.99 Mobile Broadband service plan in the United States. The Pay Per Use rate is $0.002/KB in Canada, $0.005/KB in Mexico, and $0.02/KB in more than 200 other destinations.

· For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
via: Verizon Wireless

Live Radio, your calls, today at Noon

Phil Yanov - Your DayWe’ll be taking technology calls live at noon today on the ETVRadio stations in South Carolina. Whether it’s digital photography, the iPhone 4, using wireless technology, or how to find a good home for your old laptop, you can give us a call.

WEDNESDAY, June 30, 2010

A live call-in hour on the Internet and related technologies. Eric Rodgers hosts Phil Yanov, executive director of the GSA Technology Council and blogger at Thinkhammer. Listeners can call in via the tollfree number 888-539-8859 to ask questions about using the Internet, computers, new digital devices, and related topics.

The program is Your Day and it is carried across the ETV Radio Network. That’s 90.1 FM in the Upstate beginning at Noon. (or listen to the live web steam.)

Verizon unveils bigger faster Droid

Droid XVerizon Wireless, the company with the nation’s largest and most reliable wireless 3G network, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), a pioneer in the mobile industry, today unveiled DROID X by Motorola. DROID X does more with ultra high-speed Web browsing; a fast 1GHz processor; 3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities; loads of memory; intuitive social messaging; Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 ready; and access to Android Market , which has more than 65,000 applications, along with a host of unique Verizon Wireless applications such as NFL Mobile, Skype mobile , V CAST Video, EA Need for Speed Shift and more.

“Nine months ago, we made a commitment to our customers to bring the openness of Android to the Verizon Wireless network,” said John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “Since then, we have introduced the top-selling Android phone in the marketplace today – the DROID by Motorola. DROID X takes that commitment to another level with exclusive content, faster processing speeds, and, of course, the reliability of our network.”

Sanjay Jha, co-chief executive officer of Motorola and chief executive officer of Motorola Mobile Devices and Home business added, “Motorola designed DROID X to push the extreme limits of Android innovation, and enable you to do even more with your mobile device. We are breaking down barriers so that you can experience the Web the way it was meant to be and create, share and view content like never before, either in your hand or in your home. Enterprise users will also find DROID X appealing with features including push e-mail and live widgets for e-mail and calendar updates.”

DROID X gives customers a 4.3-inch high-resolution screen for viewing the latest movies and video from BLOCKBUSTER On Demand® presented by V CAST Video, the newest addition to the Verizon Wireless V CAST application, which also includes access to favorite TV shows. The DROID X video capabilities let customers capture spontaneous fun, combining a dual-flash, 8-megapixel camera, HD camcorder, as well as DLNA and HDMI connectivity to download, stream and share personal HD content.

DROID X customers will also receive Android 2.2 and Adobe Flash Player 10.1 with an over-the-air update in the latter half of the summer. With the update, the Flash Player will allow mobile users to experience hundreds of sites with rich applications and content inside the browser, including games, animations, rich Internet applications (RIAs), data presentations and visualizations, ecommerce, music, video, audio and more.

“It has been an exciting time for Android momentum and global consumer adoption since the announcement of DROID by Motorola nine months ago,” said Andy Rubin, vice president of engineering for Google. “There are 160,000 new Android-powered devices activated daily and Android Market has grown to over 65,000 applications. Plus later this summer, Verizon Wireless and Motorola will update all the DROID by Motorola phones to the latest 2.2 software. For customers, this means great new features and improved browser performance. For developers, this will provide new tools such as cloud-to-device messaging and enhanced enterprise functionality.”

“We are excited about full Flash support coming to the DROID X and other devices from Motorola,” said Shantanu Narayen, president and chief executive officer of Adobe. “Flash Player 10.1, which is one of Adobe’s most anticipated releases ever, has been redesigned from the ground up to deliver the kind of highly engaging experiences that consumers now expect from their mobile devices.”

Once updated to Android 2.2, business customers will find DROID X offers the features that turn the device into a workhorse with support for both Exchange and Gmail for business. Corporate users can enjoy push delivery of e-mail; live widgets that stream messages to the home screen; filter widgets to differentiate work and home e-mail; corporate directory and Global look-up along with a unified calendar for Enterprise and sync with Google Calendar . Security protocols allow remote password control and wipe via Exchange server.

Pricing and Availability
DROID X by Motorola will be available at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores beginning July 15 for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. In addition to subscribing to a Nationwide Talk plan or a Nationwide Talk & Text plan, customers will also need to subscribe to an Email and Web for Smartphone plan. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 monthly access. Email and Web for Smartphone plans start at $29.99 for unlimited monthly access.

Customers can add the optional 3G Mobile Hotspot service to their DROID X for $20 per month. The 3G Mobile Hotspot allows customers to turn the phone into a wireless modem for up to five compatible Wi-Fi devices. In addition, current Verizon Wireless customers who have contracts ending by December 31, 2010, can upgrade to any smartphone, including DROID X, without penalty.

For more information on DROID X by Motorola, go to http://phones.verizonwireless.com/droid/x/. For information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

via: Verizon Wireless

Looking Back at Gadgetfest 2009

As we transition in another season of the year it’s always interesting to look back a bit and see the gadgets that caught our attention just a few months ago. Have you made one of the gadgets your own? Have new gadgets been introduced that have given a challenge to those shown and are you inspired to share and/or create a gadget for Gadgetfest 2010? Enjoy the video from the most recent GSATC Gadgetfest.


Video by: View Digital Media

Understanding the Participatory News Consumer

The overwhelming majority of Americans (92%) use multiple platforms to get their daily news, according to a new survey conducted jointly by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and Project for Excellence in Journalism.

The internet is now the third most-popular news platform, behind local and national television news and ahead of national print newspapers, local print newspapers and radio. Getting news online fits into a broad pattern of news consumption by Americans; six in ten (59%) get news from a combination of online and offline sources on a typical day.

The internet and mobile technologies are at the center of the story of how people’s relationship to news is changing. In today’s new multi-platform media environment, news is becoming portable, personalized, and participatory:

* Portable: 33% of cell phone owners now access news on their cell phones.
* Personalized: 28% of internet users have customized their home page to include news from sources and on topics that particularly interest them.
* Participatory: 37% of internet users have contributed to the creation of news, commented about it, or disseminated it via postings on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter.

In addition, people use their social networks and social networking technology to filter, assess, and react to news. And they use traditional email and other tools to swap stories and comment on them. Among those who get news online, 75% get news forwarded through email or posts on social networking sites and 52% share links to news with others via those means.

Despite all of this online activity, the typical online news consumer routinely uses just a handful of news sites and does not have a particular favorite. And overall, Americans have mixed feelings about this “new” news environment. Over half (55%) say it is easier to keep up with news and information today than it was five years ago, but 70% feel the amount of news and information available from different sources is overwhelming.

About the Survey
The results in this report are based on data from telephone interviews conducted by Princeton Survey Research International between December 28, 2009 and January 19, 2010, among a sample of 2,259 adults, 18 and older. For results based on the total sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the error attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus 2.3 percentage points. For results based internet users (n=1,675) or “online news users” (N= 1,582), the margin of sampling error is plus or minus 2.7 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting telephone surveys may introduce some error or bias into the findings of opinion polls. This survey was conducted on landline telephones (N=1,697) and cell phones (N=562) and is meant to be representative of all adults in the continental United States.

Overwhelmingly, e-Reader Owners Are Happy With Their Devices

E-Reader satisfaction is high among owners, according to a new report e-Reader Owners: Attitudes and Usage from leading market research company The NPD Group. Almost all owners (93 percent) said they were “very satisfied” or “somewhat satisfied” with their device. Only 2 percent of owners expressed any level of dissatisfaction.

Features are important to e-Reader owners. According to the report, 60 percent of owners said wireless access was their favorite feature on their e-Reader; touch was mentioned by 23 percent of owners.

“Both the display technology and available content on e-Readers are optimized for those interested in books, said Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis at NPD. “Pairing these optimizations with wireless technology for transparent access and touch screens for easy navigation has resonated with the avid readers that have been early e-Reader adopters.”

Even with great features, e-Reader owners are still looking for more in these relatively new and still evolving devices. Some recommended improvements from owners include more book title availability, longer battery life, and color screens at 42 percent, 39 percent, and 34 percent respectively. Content is important, and while almost half (46 percent) of owners said they were mostly satisfied with the selection of titles for their e-Reader devices, only 39 percent said they could find every title they were looking for.

But it seems that e-Reader owners aren’t married to their e-Readers to do their reading. About three-in-ten owners say they use at least one other device for reading e-books, such as a PC or a smartphone

“As we have seen with music, photos and video, books and other printed matter are slated to appear on a wide array of devices that offer tradeoffs in such factors as screen size and battery life,” said Rubin. “As the recent introduction of Apple’s iPad demonstrates, applications now on smartphones benefit from larger screens, and industry leaders are recognizing the importance of supporting multiple platforms by supporting multiple clients and open standards.”

via: NPD

Hyatt Regency Greenville Guests Embrace New iPhone Travel App Built on GBCblue’s Mobile GORION Platform

hyatt_mainGuests of the Hyatt Regency Greenville are now using their iPhones to request everyday hotel amenities and order room service — from anywhere — with a new travel app developed by GBCblue.

Hyatt Regency Greenville launched the free guest-services app in Apple’s App Store using GBCblue’s mobile e-commerce platform for the hospitality industry, GORION, according to Victor Alikin, CEO of GBCblue. The South Carolina hotel developed the travel app to extend the success of its online guest-services portal, www.HyattRoomService.com, from GBCblue.

The hotel’s GORION app has been “extremely popular” with travelers as 80 percent of Hyatt Regency Greenville guests who visit the portal use their handhelds to get there, according to Mike Roebuck, director of sales and marketing for Hyatt Regency Greenville.

“Since we launched our app, we’ve seen a 300-400 percent increase in usage of our guest-services portal,” Roebuck said. “And orders made through the system are 17-20 percent higher per ticket. We’ve used the app to enhance our guest services and, at the same time, boost our bottom line.”

Hyatt Regency Greenville’s GORION app allows guests with an iPhone or iPod touch to view photo-enhanced menus from Chef Ben Hardaway and place orders on-site or in advance of their stays. Guests of the stylish luxury hotel order amenities such as towels, linens and soaps from their handhelds and learn more about local attractions, including the nearby BMW Performance Driving Center, award-winning golf courses and historical museums.

“In the current economic climate, cost-effective differentiation is essential in our industry,” Roebuck said. “By working with GBCblue to develop an app that enhances our guests’ experience, we’ve added a great service without a large technology investment.”

Roebuck added that the GORION app is tied to Hyatt’s central reservation system. The integration allows guests to make room reservations from their iPhones and iPod touches without affecting the hotel’s back-end operations or PCI compliance.

“The Hyatt Regency Greenville prides itself on being a progressive, fashionable alternative to other hotels in the region,” Alikin said. “By extending the hotel experience to guests’ mobile devices and allowing them to personalize their stays, Greenville is staying at the leading edge of hospitality service.”

via: Greenville Hyatt