Google Nexus One vs Apple iPhone 3Gs

An informative video by Gadget Video Reviews that compares Google’s new phone (manufactured by HTC) with the iPhone. Straight, to-the-point, and fills you in with what you’re really after.

Although you’ll never be able to fully judge until you get your hands on one of Google’s new boys, it is useful to have a broad idea. The one aspect that I am particularly concerned about is the touch screen of the Nexus One. If it cannot match the intuitive scrolling of its Californian counterpart, then Google might have a bit of work to do before it can grab a market share of any significance.

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Top 10 Tech Stories of 2009

SoldierKnowsBest put together a casual video talking about the 10 breakthroughs to remember from 2009. It is obviously quite bias towards Apple as well as the main-stream companies, so it is best to view it as a recap of the products that made the biggest buzz in the consumer technology market in the last year.

Looking forward to the video showcasing the best open-source projects of 2009. Anyone?

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What You Need To Know About Hosting

Web hosting is something every individual comes across at one point in time. Whether you are creating your online presence (as you should), or coordinating a website or blog for someone, you should have a clear idea of the various types of web hosting available, and the differences between them. This is a brief guide to the different kinds that will help you decide on which one is the most suitable for you.

Everyone's connected to servers

The internet essentially connects millions of servers worldwide allowing sending and retrieving data between them. If you want to create a website for yourself or your organization, you’ll need a space on one of those servers that is made publicly available. Thus, when someone visits www.yourwebsite.com, he or she is directed to the public folder on that particular server, and views the web pages created via the browser. You need a server with the basic components found in any computer. More importantly, you need to have constant power supplied to it without interruption (otherwise your website wouldn’t be accessible), and constant high-speed internet access. It is also crucial that there is an advanced cooling system, or else your server will die off after running non-stop for months on end. Purchasing your own server and hosting it at your home or office is ideal for testing and learning purposes. However, for a production site, you are bound to offloading that responsibility to those who are professionals and will take the burden for a monthly fee.

Shared Web Hosting

This is by far the most common of the lot. Any company with a bit of cash to spare purchases a handful of servers and places them in a data center. After that, they attract thousands of subscribers by mind-blowing prices as low as $4 a month. Shared hosting providers are very aware that 95% of their subscribers will only receive visits from their mammys and best friends the first few days, and then close to nothing till Christmas the following year. This is where the risk factor comes in.

A standard server that is designed to carry five or so medium-sized websites and online applications, is used for about a hundred. The majority are pleased with the server because they never notice when it’s down or under-performing. The exact number of clients on a given server is never revealed publicly, but suffice to say that if you are expecting high daily traffic, you’ll inevitably suffer from the dubiously legal under performance.

Servers on rack

Shared web hosting is the traditional entrance to cyber space. If this is your first time to deal with hosting, and if your website is more of a “microsite”, you can explore the various providers and make your choice. The following are the characteristics that are common between the majority of shared web hosting providers:

• Cheap: Less than $12 monthly
• Limited space: Even if they claim that you have unlimited space, you’d be extremely lucky to get away with 10GB (more than the average person would need, but significantly less than what the providers promise)
• Poor performance: Uploading and downloading video files is a no-no. But you won’ face problems exchanging documents and basic media files
• 90% uptime: Almost every single provider will promise you 99% uptime (meaning that your website will be unreachable only 1% of the time), but if you are to read the fine print, you’ll find many-a-loopholes that gives them the legal backing to leave you stranded substantially more
• Control panel: A simple administration panel that makes it easy to create email accounts, add databases, etc. You never need to worry about the actual server

Decent options include Blue Host, Dream Host and Yahoo!. There are many candidates to try out, but whatever you do, do not go with IXWebHosting. Also, stay away from lists of the best shared hosting providers -- the majority charge fees to give providers high rankings.

Dedicated Web Hosting

For large websites that attract thousands of visitors and are mainly for profit, a dedicated server is the wise choice. If slow performance or downtime means your company or organization will lose money, then shared hosting just doesn’t cut it. Dedicated server means that there is an actual server that only you are using. It’s kept in the provider’s data center, meaning you’re covered as far as cooling, power, and high-speed internet connection is concerned.The price depends on the hardware specs of the server that you are purchasing, but don’t expect to pay less than $300 dollars a month. While that might seem excessive, e-commerce websites wouldn’t mind shelling out a relatively small fee to ensure their clients’ experience is uninterrupted and perhaps encourages investment.

With dedicated hosting, you are given the choice of managed or unmanaged plans. Managed means the provider handles everything technical related to the server, including updates and maintenance, leaving you to focus on the website itself. Unmanaged means that besides the basic needs for the server to survive, you’re on your own. You’d need to install the technologies you will be using, and spend time updating and maintaing the operating system and web server running.

Commonly found in dedicated server hosting:

• Price: Expensive, but it’s all relative. Large businesses would pay anything for quality service
• Performance: Normally, you’d purchase a computer with a strong CPU, plenty of memory RAM, and a couple of spacious hard disks. It’s a powerful computer, all for you to use
• Control: whether it is managed or unmanaged, no one tells you what to do. You have complete freedom and control of your server

There are many candidates for dedicated web hosting, and generally speaking, they are far more credible than shared web hosting providers simply because it costs more, and they are dealing with demanding professionals.

Cloud Hosting

This is relatively new, especially because cloud technology has only picked up in the last three years or so. It is based on the idea that the resources are shared, and whenever a website requires more, it is automatically granted its needs. This results in accounts automatically expending and spreading across a number of servers to maintain the same level of performance, and to ensure that it stays online (as oppose to going down). On the other hand, resources are not given to those who aren’t using them, meaning nothing’s gone to waste.

The following video does a very good job in illustrating how cloud computers work:

It’s more like a genius piece of art! Beautiful and informative.

With the economic crises on the rise, many companies and organizations are keen on saving money on hosting, without sacrifising performance and quality. At about $100 monthly, you’re guaranteed to have a website that is not short of its needs, and is constantly expanding to accomodate for the increasing number of visitors. As a small to medium company, this solution is probably your best bet.

Here’s what’s on the table from the cloud hosting providers:

• Price: mid-range. Usually starts at around $100 and only increases if your consuming more bandwidth and space
• Performance: It’s no dedicated server, but it’s close enough. It always depends on the provider, but you shouldn’t be facing any issues
• Control: Depending on your package, you might be granted access to run your “virtual” account just as if you were to control a dedicated server. In many cases, you access an advanced control panel providing you with many features

Cloud hosting is becoming more and more popular. And the big guns to pay attention to are Rack Space Cloud and Amazon Web Services. The former of which is used for this website, along with a couple of dozen more. Personally, Rack Space had given me lots of problems, and I was on the verge of moving away. But they have apologized and have recently significantly improved their service. It turns out that their client-base was growing much faster than they had expected, and their infrastructure couldn’t handle it. They have seemed to have expanded appropriatly to maintain their level of service.

Other Types

There are a couple of other options that you are unlikely to come across, but should be aware of nevertheless:

• Collocation Hosting: This is when you buy your own server (you can even assemble one just like you would with a desktop computer) but store it in a data center where it is being monitored, but not controlled
• Free Hosting: Remember the Geocities days? Those might be over, but there are more and more Web 2.0 applications that grant users a subdmain using their service
• Home Hosting: As mentioned earlier, you can buy a computer, place it in a cool room with and AC and fans for cooling, and rely on the electricity coming into the house, and the ADSL used at home

In conclusion, no two types are the same. Depending on how important the content of your website is, and how much traffic you attract, there is a kind of web hosting that is appropriate for your needs. Within a particular type, there are various providers to choose from, something that you should not take lightly. Nothing’s as tedious and frsutrating as having problems with your web host and having to migrate to someone else. Therefore, take the time to examine the different options and reviews written by fellow users before investing.

You can learn more from the Wikipedia page on web hosting, as well as the information summerized in the W3Schools website.

Remember, your space on the world wide web is your right as a member of the internet community -- passing up on your opporrunity is sacrificing a priviledge that no generation in history was granted.

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Avoid Waiting on Downloads: SkipScreen

I had previously discussed the 7 must-have Firefox add-ons for web developers and designers. I had also spoken about AdBlock Plus, which is, at times, the most downloaded Firefox extension out there. Now I think it is important to bring up an add-on that revolutionizes the way many people exchange files via bulk storage and sharing websites such as RapidShare and Megaupload.

SkipScreen is a seemless addition to the world’s best browser that automatically skips tedious and frustrating intermediate pages preventing you from reaching the file you are trying to download. Whenever someone wants to share a large file (regardless of its nature) and chooses to do so via a file-sharing online service, he or she saves the hassle of having to own web space accessed via an FTP client, and it’s free. The problem, however, is that the recipient has to pass by at least three or four ad-flooded pages before reaching the point of having to wait for a timer to finish because he or she has done the blasphemous move of refusing to sign up for a “premier” account.

Not anymore. Not with SkipScreen:

Click on the link and start the download immediately. No more torture.

Regardless of how often you come across files hosted on any of the numerous supported websites, this add-on is golden like the oldies. Install it directly from the Firefox Extensions page, and forget that it even exists, just like it’ll make you forget about painful intrusions ruining the otherwise beautiful and seamless web experience.

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The Living Hell of Dealing with Clients

This is a hilarious video that overly-exaggerates the never-ending torture that comes from dealing with many of the clients when freelancing. Regardless of whether you’re a graphic designer, web designer/developer or multimedia designer, the start of the road to independent freelancing starts off very tough indeed.

Excuse the foul language, although it does make it even funnier!

When you decide to take on freelancing, even part time, with a vision of doing it exclusively and professionally down the road, you have to go through a test where only the fittest survive. The typical clients that you might start up with will always have the following characteristics:

• Stingy: They’ll splash $500 on the latest cologne, but design should be free
• Ignorant: No clue as to what the freelancer goes through, and how the process works
• Demanding: Want EVERYTHING, ASAP
• Underestimating: It’s easy, it’s just that they chose to take on real jobs, otherwise they would’ve been the best designers ever
• Unappreciative: Your job is to design, and be thankful that I’m paying you for such an easy and meaningless job
• Completely lost: No clue what they want, and cannot accept that vague idea cannot magically combine to create the perfect tangible product

As you become more and more professional, and your hourly rate rises as you gain experience, the majority of these characteristics begin to diminish. However, no matter how professional and experienced you are, you will always be dealing with client who are completely lost and have no clue as to what they want or how it could possibly be achieved.

But it’s our job, and we love it.

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Google’s 10 to the 100

Love’em or hate’em, we must not take anything away from Google’s creativity and innovation. One of the latest of which establishing an unprecedented approach to social development via the one and only: the World Wide Web. Project 10 to the 100 is a $10 million grant that Google will be handing to the chosen project related to development anywhere across the globe. After accepting applications and stacking over 150,000 applicants’ hopes and dreams with ideas on different projects, Google narrowed down the candidates to the finalists where only one will rise as the winner of the generous grant from the Californian giants.

How is the candidate chosen? This is where the community of the web comes in, and Google have cleverly taken advantage: Your vote. Every person can go on the website, read about every project, and then vote of whichever he or she has most faith in. Accordingly, the search engine pioneers will shell out a big tenner and make the project a reality. Not only have they used the web to announce their grant and facilitate communication with the different candidates, they have taken it a step further by allowing the true owners of the internet, the users, to use their power and indicate where the money will be heading. Yet another example of the immense power of the web, and how it can play a vital part in every single field across the planet. The trick is to give people the power they deserve, and Google, in this particular case, have done precisely that.

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FCC Inaugurates OpenInternet.gov

Even thought the topic of net neutrality is a sensitive one indeed, there are crowds of US citizens that are unaware of the serious threat plaguing their freedom of expression and communication. If you happen to be one of those who are not fully aware of the subject, check out this short documentary on net neutrality. And for that matter, here’s an explanation on internet censorship worldwide.

In a surprising, and some might even say suspicious, move the Federal Communications Commission has gone live with a website, OpenInternet.gov that has a video raising awareness of the subject:

The goal seems to be to prevent the internet from losing its neutrality, and to avoid the loss of one of the most basic rights for any human being. It also acts as a platform for US citizens from all corners of the globe to share their thoughts and comments -- ironically yet another example of how the Web facilitates direct communication across space and time.

The initial impression is in no doubt a positive one. The only concern would be the influence that lobbyists might have on government officials persuading them to allow large telecommunications corporations to gain full control, and strip away the American people from the only absolutely pure method of information exchange ever to have been invented by humankind. Regardless of how congress decides to handle the issue, raising awareness and providing a communication channel for the people is highly beneficial. The website is currently in its beta phase, but the FCC promises to expand on it gradually.

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Using Seesmic for Twitter

The Twitter globe won’t stop expanding anytime soon. It only takes a quick observation of the fine print underneath each of the tweets to reach the conclusion that the applications for accessing and managing Twitter accounts are growing by the minute. The question is, which Twitter client is the one you should be using? Like anything else, it’s a matter of what features you require, and which application you’re most comfortable with.

Generally speaking, the Twitter clients are divided into four main categories:

1. Desktop applications: Software that is installed on your local machine, allowing you to access and organize your tweets easily. Usually very customizable. Example include TweetDeck (which I have previously reviewed), Nambu, and Seesmic (which I take a closer look at below)
2. Web applications: Those are websites that store all of your needs online, meaning you can access from any computer with an internet connection, and be able to manage your accounts entirely online. Check out my post on HootSuite
3. Mobile applications: At first overlooked, but now very few could argue that the powerful community lifting Twitter is doing so thanks to the numerous applications offering them full access from their cell phones and hand-held devices. There’s Tweets60, Tweetie and Twibble, to name a few
4. Extensions and Plugins: There are dozens of very powerful Firefox extensions, as well as libraries or WordPress plugins all aiming at integrating Twitter’s services with other websites and applications. They don’t usually offer the full features that you would find via their desktop counterparts, but get the job done nonetheless

One of the Twitter clients that has stood out and reached millions of Twitterers worldwide is Seesmic. Just like TweetDeck, Seesmic is a free AIR application that can run on any of the operating systems. In fact, it is very comparable to TweetDeck as they both offer many of the same features, it’s the little things that separate them.

Note: The video talks about version 0.4. The latest release, at the time of writing, is 0.6, but the points raised in the video still apply.

Seesmic can be used to manage multiple Facebook and Twitter accounts, but it is safe to assume that the huge majority of users are operating the French invention exclusively for a single Twitter account. Within the same window, you can create your columns based on the groups of people, as well as hash tags, that you would like to follow. Handling tweets is a breeze, and a URL shortner, tweet shrinker and image uploader are all natively integrated. It is an exceptional Twitter experience on a large display.

Seesmic Desktop Interface

When comparing to TweetDeck, the following are the differences and thus, the advantages. But then again, it is a matter of personal preference:

• Resizeable Columns: In TweetDeck you have the option of wide or narrow columns. In Seesmic, however, they are dynamically-sized to take advantage of the full screen, and each column can be dragged to the preferred width
• Notifications’ Options: You can control how long the notification lasts, and whether or not it is accompanied with sound. Personally, a one-second notification is more than enough, and the fine line between a short message to let you know of something, and an obnoxious whiner that drags forever is only two seconds wide
• Fixed Single/Multiple Columns: You can have the window be the exact width of the “Home” column showing all of the tweets. Alternatively, you can choose to keep the home fixed, and have the remaining scroll horizontally behind it

Unfortunately, there are a couple of points that might push people away from the Twitter client. The first is the difficulty in which users can add Twitterers to favorite groups. When you create a group, you have to go to one of the desired person’s tweets, click on the options icon, and add him or her to the list.

The second issue, which is also found in TweetDeck, or any AIR application for that matter, is the lack of support for Arabic and non-traditional languages. This is obviously a huge drawback, and it seems that, on a Mac, a web application is the only way around the lack of Arabic support. Perhaps Adobe will upgrade their runtime to allow for Arabic and Asian scripts, but in the meantime, if the majority of the people you’re following tweet in Arabic, you are better off going “web” and using an online application, such as HootSuite.

Otherwise, a neat AIR application that it light-weight, easy to use, and gets the job done. And comfortably so.

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What’s New in iTunes 9

You can watch the Apple website’s videos showcasing all of the new features that are enclosed in the latest release of Apple’s media player. But who needs boring, repetitive and commercial  demonstrations when you can get this:

Credit to the presenter for revealing what is interesting to us, the regular users, in the most basic, straight-forward approach. Pay particular attention to the Home Sharing feature, which is arguably the most important addition to the new iTunes.

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It’s Finally Here: Open-Source Hardware

The optimistic crowd that form the borderless and limitless open-source community world-wide have finally been rewarded a long sought-after dream: taking the beautiful concept of open-source beyond software, and into the hardware division.

A group of scientists from Standford University have succeeded in putting together a programmable digital camera that allows anyone to write the software to achieve any feature your imagination can come up with. This results in a digital camera made of extremely cheap components, offering features that no other proprietary manufacturer does. You’ll be paying for the dirt-cheap components, and just as they’ve always taught us, the best things in life are free (open-source software included).

This is a brief look at the Frankencamera by the scientists themselves:

It currently not the sexiest of cameras, but how charismatic was the first GUI for Linux? What matters is not the current product, but the potential results. And from what we can tell from this revolutionary innovation, the sky is the limit, and the users from every corner of the globe will inevitably be the ones who most benefit.

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