Recently in Gadgets Category
Well, really it's not recycling, but it's re-using, which is another one of the "Big-Three" pillars of the sustainability model.
Over the weekend, Ted and I were doing a late-summer cleanup of our cluttered garage, and I came across a few boxes of DVDs, copies of which we both had so one copy (most likely the least pristine one) ended up in this box in the garage.
I have been trading in my old video-games with Amazon.com trade-in for several months, and remembered recently that they started accepting used movies (DVD, HDDVD, and BluRay) for Gift Card bucks. Uber-convenience factor: Amazon will give you a pre-paid shipping label to ship it to them. My last shipment was dropped off on Monday, and I got the credit today (Wednesday). Awesome.
And then, come to find out, there's an online service that will do just about the same thing for your gently used, previously enjoyed, still-working gadgets! I ran across this article on Greenbiz.com about a company in Boston, started by an entrepreneur and Ebay Exec pair, give you cash for your electronic clunkers (thanks to the author for that fabulous line).
"Our vision is nothing short of redefining consumption, changing the way people buy, sell and recycle electronics," Ganot, who is president and CEO of Gazelle, told me recently by phone. "We own too many products that we don't use. We always buy the latest and greatest. They end up tucked away in your attic. Some get thrown in the garbage. Or recycled improperly."
Brilliant, folks. Do you have a few gadget that are gathering dust that could use a second or third life in the developing world or in the hands of an erstwhile young person just getting started in their college lives? For those of you who are somewhat gadget obsessed, take heed!
First off, I thought this day would never happen:
<N/A> | BlackBerry Messaging Agent bes-blackberry Agent 1 (Application Event Log on BES) | 01/20/2009 20:14:17 (*********) -> [AUDIT] jcruz@wharton.upenn.edu - User activated on the BES
That's one of the automated messages we get when a user successfully connects to our BlackBerry Enterprise Server. Yes, true believers, I've switched from a vaunted Windows Mobile phone to a BlackBerry.
Mostly because my AT&T Tilt is dying, and an 8820 became available recently, but also because we need some in-house support expertise on the BlackBerry itself.
Which leads me to the subject of this post.
BlackBerry and their vaunted Enterprise Redirection is not worth the money. Here's my tally (assuming we're buying a phone for a new account)
- BlackBerry Enterprise License: $100
- BlackBerry Enterprise Redirection Plan: $45/month (unlimited), $39.99/month (4MB.yeah.*4*MB)
- BlackBerry Bold: $299
Look at the below for an iPhone:
- Exchange Active Sync License: Free/included
- iPhone Data Plan: $45/month (unlimited for Enterprise)
- iPhone 8GB: $199
And for a new HTC Fuze:
- Exchange Active Sync license: Free/included
- MS DirectPush Data Plan: $29.99/month (unlimited)
- HTC Fuze: $299
Out of the gate, the iPhone costs us less, and even more insidiously, the data plan costs us less per month. So my question to everyone is:
Why are we still buying BlackBerries?
Granted, you know, we're *not*, because we're trying to cut spending, but think about how much money we could be saving if all 200+ BlackBerry users we have had started with iPhones to begin with?
Do I hear a call to switching to the iPhone? Even switching to Windows Mobile phones (the HTC Fuze being the current example) would save us some bucks!
Don't even get me started on the amount of staff time *wasted* because the various carriers out there don't have a clue about how to add BlackBerry Enterprise Redirection to the phone's plan. It took me 55 minutes to do that tonight, and I know exactly what I need and what to ask for!
<sigh>
As you were, true believers. I'm saving up for an iPhone.
UPDATE: So it turns out that the Enterprise plan for the iPhone, the one that lets you connect to Exchange, is actually $45/month, not $30/month. Soooo, looks like this whole post is a wash!!!
UPDATE2: According to peeps in the know (and an actual iPhone user on our Exchange servers) only the $30/month plan is necessary. Take that, BlackBerry! iPhonez still rulexz!
Okay, so like a blogzillion years ago, I posted about these neat little "smart pen" devices from a company called Livescribe. I'm happy to report that my Livescribe Pulse Pen arrived last week and I put it through its paces at a few sit-downers today.
First thing I noticed, very little documentation provided in-box. I thought that was peculiar considering that it was such a big shift in the way I thought about a lowly pen. Then I realized, the documentation, itself, was populated with microdots, and you were "forced" to start using the Pen right away.
Tap here, write there, and the tutorial was a snap (including, smartly, a right-hand/left-hand orientation setup option as step 1).
I realized this as I write, no software to install to start using it. Brilliant! Since the focus is on the pen/paper relationship, and the pen/computer relationship is just adding functionality/value, why start the process with a software install?
The desktop software, though, did harbor the "Most Impressive Moment". Install the Livescribe Desktop software (downloadable from their website; no CDs to press <green nod>) and synchronizing my Pulse Pen to the LiveScribe library. Guess what? I was immediately able to search my handwritten notes. Killer feature.
If anyone's interested, stop by my desk and I'll do a quick demo for you; if there's enough interest, maybe we can do a presentation.
Do I smell Future Friday? Who wants to get in touch with the LiveScribe CEO? I'm telling you, put this in the hands of the incoming class of MBAs and get the Faculty to annotate their lectures using this thing and we've got teaching gold!
*** Masses = 4 people in Core Systems
Just ran across this little device, set to debut at this month's DEMO conference. It's not the *first* digital pen I've seen (in fact, I remember a device like that sometime in the late 90s timeframe), but given current technology, it does a whole lot more.
Video: Livescribe aims to rewrite computing history
The title of the video makes it seem revolutionary (call it creative license on CNet's part), however, I like the way it's sort of an evolution of the pen.
I've always been in favor of writing things down, and honestly, it's my preferred notetaking medium. There's such an opportunity for expression that's just lost on the bits/pixels in Notepad++ or Office OneNote. I mean, how can you convey utter amazement or disgust better than leaning on a pen while taking a quick note?
So, given the above melding of the pen, the computer, and voice recording (a feature that the Livescribe CEO touts in the above video), could it be I've found the missing link between my love of computers with my love for the good ole pen?
Imagine, buying one of these sets for every MBA student and having them take notes in class this way. They get a lot more context because they can hear what was going on in the room when they took that particular note! Could they even sync up their recorded audio-playback with a classroom recording from the Wharton Video Network and get the visual cues, too?
At $150 for the 1GB model, it might be worth checking out! Besides, who doesn't love Microdots?
