In the Middle of Nowhere

That's what most of Texas can feel like, but for now I'm in Dalhart, TX. With a population of only 7,300 people, there isn't much to see and do and this town merely acted as a pass-through point for us to just fill up on gas and make sure we're on the right path: north on Highway 87. I did give the Verizon aircard another test, but wasn't surprised when I found I was still on roaming dialup speeds (will post screenshot later).

All the gadgets are holding up well for the most part, altough it looks like I forgot to replace the batteries in my Canon Powershot, as it died. A quick double A replacement, and I was back on my way. My Nokia 6265i still won't place calls although I paid for 200 roaming minutes for this trip. Following the instructions from the automated Cricket service yielded no success, and I got tired of waiting on hold for a Cricket rep. Alas, at least our Motorola RAZR on the T-Mobile works (even if we're on Cingular's roaming network). Our next stop should be Raton, NM just 20 miles south of the Colorado border. See you there!

WiFi...At Last!

I've finally made it to the 21st century and arrived at a local McDonalds here in Plainview, TX which just happens to serve free wireless internet. I'm no longer handicapped with sub-dialup speeds, but alas it is but for a moment as I will be jumping back on the road heading up to Amarillo next. Only another 110 miles to go, and maybe this Verizon card will get better coverage.

Again, no need for pictures, not much to see out here in the grassroots area of Texas. I'll take a few shots of the border as we cross into New Mexico through Texline, the windiest city in the country. New Mexico can be a lot more beautiful in my opinion than the panhandle of Texas, with plenty of picturesque stone formations and enticing views of the surrounding landscape. So far the weather has been on our side with plenty of sunshine, leaving all the rain behind in San Antonio. Despite the chance for rain up through Amarillo into New Mexico today, I'm confident we'll have a smooth ride until we arrive in Colorado Springs. Weather.com states we're in for more rain than sun for most of our trip but I'm hoping it doesn't hold up.

I forgot to mention, I purchased a 200W power inverter to power the laptop and other gizmos I brought, with my truck's DC power. I figured since this laptop's battery life rates at about 4.5 hours and the trip will be at least 3 times that, something had to be done. It's held up pretty well so far with one AC plug and a car adapter port to plug in other devices, and a handy switch to turn the device off or on. It's footprint is very small, no bigger than about 2 decks of playing cards and includes a little fan to keep the device cool. It was a bargain at less than $35, too!

Since my truck doesn't include a modern CD player, let alone a cassette player (not even an 8-track? nope.), I decided to use my trusty Sandisk Sansa e250r mp3 player to keep me awake on those monotonous Texas roads. I d/l'ed about 150 songs onto it before I left, so that should at least keep me busy. Texas radio just plain sucks once you get in the panhandle, unless you absolutely love country music then you'll feel right at home (there's only so much Rascall Flatts one can listen to.)

Onto Amarillo ... "Amarillo by mornin', Amarillo's where I'll be"

Tumbleweeds and Cows, Oh My!

Well, it looks like I'm still stuck on sub-dialup speeds on this verizon wireless aircard, here in Lubbock, TX. I'm attempting a speedtest on speakeasy.net again, hoping this time it'll complete before timing out. At least I can use notepad until I get into the next city with Verizon broadband access towers. We'll be approaching the halfway point on our trip pretty soon and it looks like we're making pretty good time: 400 miles in just over 6 hours. I've only had to fill up the gas in my Ford Ranger once so far...not bad seeing I only get 24 miles to the gallon. Nothing much to report on as I'm between a Town & Country gas station and a Double Discount liquour store: true signs of a Texan town, yeehaw! Now all we need is a few tumbleweeds and some cows (oh wait, I spot those too!)

Next post should be from Amarillo...I hope I can get some faster speed out of the networks up there in George Strait country, see ya then!

PS. That speed test just completed: I'm on a whopping 45kbps connection! Watch out now.

Colorado, Here We Come!!!

We're off on our expedition; Road Trip 2007 has begun! We've made it to San Marcos from San Antonio in roughly 3 hours...not bad, but we're still behind schedule if we're to arrive between 5-7pm tonight. Nothing much to blog about here, just a bunch of cars and restaurants and a university and that's about it. No need for pictures...but that should change soon as the scenery gets a bit more exciting (laughs). Unfortunately, this Verizon card is currently in roaming status so my speeds are worse than dialup...hence why I'm writing this blog post in notepad. :( Even my cell phone has no coverage out here (that's because it's on Cricket's network and even after paying for roaming minutes, I still can't make a call: useless I tell you, useless!).

I'm not surprised though, most parts of Texas are not technology friendly. Well, until next stop!

Road Trip 2007! Back on the Road Again

I'm back, after a long hiatus from blogging. I know I'm quite behind on the blogging scene so I'm using this next event as an excuse to jump back in! This event will be Convergence Daily's first ever Road Trip! We'll be trekking across the vastness that are the Texas open roads from San Antonio through Amarillo into the panhandle across into New Mexico heading north into Colorado and finally landing in beautiful Colorado Springs, CO! That's a total of about 2,000 miles roundtrip! While driving my new Ford Ranger on its 1st roadtrip as well, I'll be testing a variety of technology ranging from mp3 players to a laptop and writing about my experiences all here on Convergence Daily. A short list of hardware includes: Sandisk Sansa e250R mp3 player, Philips 7" Widescreen portable DVD player, Apple iPod 30GB video, Canon PowerShot A510 3.2 MP & Sony CyberShot 7.2 MP digital cameras, a DELL Latitude D600 laptop, Verizon Wireless USB720 Broadband Aircard (almost T1 speeds on the road!), iMation 2GB flash drive, Casio G-Shock solar-powered watch, a CompUSA USB bluetooth adapter, my trusty Nokia 6265i mobile phone on the Cricket network and a Motorola RAZR on T-Mobile's network.

I'll be putting all of this hardware and more through its paces while I spend most of my trip in Colorado Springs, CO visiting all of the sites and even climbing Pikes Peak which sits at over 14,000 ft above sea level, that's more than half the height of Mt Everest, the tallest mountain in the world! I depart for this trip on Wednesday, July 18th to Colorado Springs, CO and shall arrive back in San Antonio Lord-willing safe and sound on July 24th sometime in the late evening. My plan is to post photos I've taken during the trip to my Flickr account, any video to YouTube, and of course all editorial content here at Convergence Daily. I might even take a look at using Twitter to track special events like the Pike's Peak climb. I'm very excited about this trip and look forward to sharing it with you all and testing the flurry of technology we'll have at our fingertips for your reading enjoyment!

See you on the 18th for Convergence Daily's Road Trip 2007!

Trekking Across Texas

I travelled to Dallas/Ft.Worth Texas this past week with a couple friends of mine primarily to help out as one of them was getting their old job back working at Ford Motor Co and the other was in search of a place to move to. While acting as part navigator part mediator, I managed to take some shots with my Nokia 6265i and will show them here for your viewing pleasure (mind you they were taken whilst moving at high speeds in a vehicle with rocky suspension ;) )

Foldable Reader: Digital Paper Is Here

While smaller than a typical mobile phone, the new device features a display which extends up to 5-inches and may simply be stored away after use by folding it, thanks to the flexibility of the polymer based display material. The device features the largest display available in the industry for the same form factor, the 16 grey levels combined with a high contrast and high reflectivity display for paper like reading experience enables comfortable reading, even in bright sunlight. Future developments include colour and moving image capable display.

Thanks to cellphone9

3GSM 2007 Top Headlines featuring MobileBurn.com

Our friends over at MobileBurn.com have done a wonderful job covering 3GSM 2007 over in Barcelona, Spain. Mui Bueno! Here is a select list of updates straight from their editorial staff covering the show floor in order from earliest to latest:

* Microsoft to Launch Windows Mobile 6 on Monday
* Motorola Launches MOTORIZR Z8
* Motorola's MOTOQ q9 Windows Mobile 6 Smartphone
* It's Here: Nokia's E90 Communicator
* Nokia N77 for DVB-H Mobile TV
* Slim Nokia E65 Business Wonder
* World's Thinnest Slider, the Samsung SGH-U600
* SanDisk Introduces the Largest Capacity of the World's Smallest Flash Card for Mobile Phones - the 4GB micro SDHC
* HP iPAQ 500 Series Voice Messenger
* Preview of Nokia S60 Feature Pack 2

And there you have it! Continuing updates can be found on their dedicated 3GSM 2007 Homepage

Apologize for the lack of updates...

I have to say I'm sorry for the lack of updates/posts since my last on 1/17. I've fallen into the unemployed status after working for a regional wireless ISP for almost 3 years. However unfortunate this event has been for me, I will walk away benefiting from the indispensable knowledge and experience I gained working in the communications and networking field. I've been working hard at finding a better job, hopefully this time I can make it into a career.

I shall continue regular updates to Convergence Daily without further adieu.

LG's Super Multi Blue HD Player spotted in CompUSA

In the really long name for a gadget device department, the new LG hybrid device has been seen for sale at a local CompUSA here in Texas (yeehaa). We wrote about this player earlier this month and already just a few days after the close of CES it's being sold right here in my backyard! A member of the forums at AVSForum.com has posted first-hand pictures of the new player.

In case you hadn't heard, the Super Multi Blue HD Player is LG's answer to detente in the next-gen DVD format war: playback capabilities for both formats bundled in a single player, the LG BH100 ($1,200 list)...Word was the player would hit Best Buy and Circuit City in early February, but it looks like a few are already trickling out into the channel. While we don't expect this to be a big seller at its lofty $1,200 price, it is nice to see it shipping.

Thanks to C|Net's blog Crave for the news.
LG's Press Release (1/7/07)

Update! I just got off the phone with Ed in A/V at my local CompUSA store here in San Antonio, TX and he said they have 4 in stock, 1 on display and they arrived at their store on Friday! Looks like I'll be paying them a visit to test out the new player for myself. I'll have a writeup and pictures soon.

N800 Review: First Impressions of Nokia's Latest Internet Tablet

Jose_R.A.M over at the MobileBurn.com Forums has posted a very in-depth review over the recently announced and CES-featured Nokia n800 internet tablet. We just featured an article that included the n800 right here, but now you can get your treats and eats again by checking out his comprehensive first-hand review over this cool gadget.

Read more here

Roundup: Nokia Gadgets at CES 2007

Here is a roundup of the latest devices released by Nokia and showcased at this year's CES, complete with news briefs:


From MobileBurn.com
Nokia, which has long shied away from releasing thin devices, has today announced its entry to the ever-crowded thin handset market with the new N76. Nokia states that it did not want to compromise on features just to shave thickness off the device, and as such, this 14mm (0.5") thick handset boasts some impressive specifications when compared to its rivals.


From GearLog.com
At Nokia's booth at CES I saw this little stunner of a phone, the 6300, running the new Yahoo! Go Mobile 2.0 application. The 6300, which will probably sell for between $250 and $300 before rebates if it ever does come here, is gorgeous -- the 320x240 screen is deliriously bright and sharp, and the whole phone has an elegant, metallic glow. Like the beloved and now-deceased 6230, it's also full of features that it doesn't immediately show, like a media player that supports 2GB memory cards, a 2-megapixel camera and an FM radio.





From IGN.com
Nokia pulled back the curtain on the new N800 Internet Tablet at CES 2007 today, marking several significant improvements over the N770 model. The N800 immediately strikes onlookers with its svelte profile and attractive casing. The face on the updated N800 is dominated by its screen, flanked only by speakers and a traditional thumb pad input.


From InfoSyncWorld.com
The biggest change in the N93i is the design. In fact, aside from the incremental upgrade to the Symbian S60 Series 3 OS, the design is the only change, but the change is significant. The original N93 was unique, but very bulky. It was more like a small camcorder than a phone. Though the N93i only pares a tenth of an inch from its thickness, the phone is considerably lighter.

Nokia Nseries Homepage

The Amazing Colored Bubbles!

Thanks to Shiny Shiny for the news - They may not look as amazing as the title ensues, but this creation is certainly worth mentioning. A company called Ascadia has created "the worlds first" colored bubbles, called Zubbles. How a company could make something as old as it is fun, entertaining again is quite a feat. These colorful creations are due to come out this spring to a toy store near you!

Check out the video
Zubbles Home

ASIMO Robot Runs at CES 2007

Nothing impresses me more than to see the advances in robotics, especially the humanoid-kind. The lucky few who attended this year's CES got to see a glimpse of the future by seeing a running robot in action. This robot, called ASIMO for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, was designed by Honda. That's right, the same folks who make cars, trucks, and motorcycles for the masses have all along been working on a robotics project to develop a humanoid robot to eventually aid us in everyday tasks to saving lives. We aren't that far away from creating a robot much like the one in Bicentennial Man and it will be exciting to see what's next. Below is a video of ASIMO in action, check it out:



More ASIMO Videos
ASIMO Homepage

New Line of SanDisk Sansa Players

The team at SanDisk was onto something when they decided to start competing with the likes of Apple in the portable mp3 player market which is currently dominated by the numerous flavors of the iPod. SanDisk has released a number of mp3 players onto the market under the moniker of Sansa, and have attracted quite a positive response with their smooth silky design and intuitive interface. I recently purchased a Sansa, specifically the e250R which comes bundled with a two-month trial of Real Rhapsody and I LOVE IT. I have taken it with me on my travels across state and to my office to relax while I work. I've even looked at other things one can do with these players, including this. I don't imagine I'll have anything bad to say about the upcoming line of players that were showcased by SanDisk at this year's Consumer Electronics Show.


Starting in the lightweight division, the Sansa Express has a list of features that's surprising given its small size. Unlike any of the other players in the Sansa line, this one can be plugged directly into your computer's USB port without the use of a USB cable. It comes with a microSD card slot for expandable memory, an FM tuner, a vivid OLED display, and a mic for voice recording all for only $60 bucks!


Heading off the middleweight division is the Sansa Connect which brings streaming music to your ears via a WiFi connection and includes support for photos and internet radio. Topping off this truly mobile mp3 player is a handy microSD card slot to expand upon its initial 4GB of space.


Arriving at our heavyweight division we have for you the Sansa View showcasing true video capabilities sporting DVD-quality video and a wide variety of video file types and resolutions. It has a vibrant 4" screen and a built-in speaker to show off its multimedia prowess and comes with an SD/SDHC expansion slot for future expansion sizes up to 32GB! This 8GB player, like my Sansa e250R mp3 player, comes preloaded with content sure to keep new buyers busy playing with it long before they even get around to uploading their own material. Out of all of the devices being showcased by SanDisk at this year's CES, I'm looking forward to this one the most.

LG to make hybrid Blu-ray/HD DVD Player

Only to spice things up even more, the folks over at LG are cooking up a hybrid player that plays both Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. Unfortunately, you can expect about 0.01% of the population to actually purchase just such a player due to the fact that the heated battle between both formats is still going on and the average consumer is left in the middle still choosing the older DVD standard for their viewing pleasure. Consumers are just now getting warmed up to buying HDTV's without too much hesitation as prices have gone down dramatically and production has increased sharply. DVD's are finally becoming ubiquitous, and now here's a pair of standards that to some seems more evolutionary than revolutionary.

At least one other company looks to follow suit with a hybrid player, and seeing how much LG is investing in this idea, manufacturers and standards committees alike should take notice and think about how much they want to continue investing in this ongoing format war.

Read more: Arstechnica

SanDisk Introduces 32GB Flash-based Notebook Drive

SanDisk will be releasing en masse a solid-state disk drive for notebook computers real soon. What does this mean for you the consumer? You can look forward to faster hard drives that drain up to 87% less power, thereby increasing the time you can spend on your wonderfully decked-out notebook PC. After spending a week using a company-owned laptop out in the field and waiting forever for apps to load, something like this would be a boon for me. Unfortunately, it looks like me and the rest of the regular consumer market will have to wait up to 5 years before this technology becomes affordable enough.

Read on: Arstechnica

CES is on its Way

The Consumer Electronics Show (or CES) is just a couple days away and already I'm seeing juicy tidbits floating around the internet of new technology and upcoming products. I'll be featuring the latest updates on the what's being showcased at this year's CES complete with pictures and editorials from around the web. So sit back and enjoy.

An article from PCMag.com reads:

Based on the flow of pre-show announcements we've seen, the world of wireless is going to take off at CES. We expect to see new solutions for pre-ratified 802.11n wireless networking, and several companies plan to show wireless USB technologies. What's the promise of Wireless USB? Among other applications, users will be able to point digital cameras and camcorders at PCs and transfer video content with no cables. At CES, one entire Tech Zone is dedicated to new forms of wireless distribution.

Full Article

Telescope Goes Mobile

Edwin over at Coolest-Gadgetes.com writes about the latest mobile gadget to hit camera-phone enthusiasts: The Zoom Telescope. Here's a blurb:

The Zoom Telescope is capable of offering up to 6x zoom, although it wasn’t stated whether it is optical or digital. Currently compatible with either selected Sony Ericsson or Nokia cellphones, all you need to do is strap the Zoom Telescope to your handset, place the telescope portion securely over your camera’s lens, and you’re good to go. Of course, if you have a much better camera that has at least 2 megapixels, the picture quality would be much better. Just bear in mind that you still won’t be able to capture nuts under dark conditions.

Now at US$19, this might be inspiration for me to breath new life into my trusty old Nokia 6230. All I'll need to do is clean out a year's worth of dust and dirt, slap this sucker on there, and start shooting!

Source: Coolest-Gadgets.com

Happy New Year!

I wish everyone a Happy New Year in 2007! Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday and may this new year be bigger and brighter!