I’ve been using a program called iPod Agent for the last few days now. It allows me to sync contacts, mail, RSS feeds, weather, and movie times to my iPod so I can read them on the go. It’s a neat little program.
iPod Agent
Monthly Archives: December 2004
Penn State sends IE to the State Penn
Penn State University, where I went to college for 2 years, is urging students and faculty to use any other browser instead of Internet Explorer. PSU’s administrators feel IE is a threat to the school. You can read the full story at Cnet.com. One of the browsers the school recommends is obviously Mozilla Firefox.
Thunderbird 1.0
Less than a month after the release of Mozilla Firefox 1.0, the Mozilla Organization has released Thunderbird 1.0, their e-mail client. I’ve been using Thunderbird on my laptop for a while now. I used to use Eudora but didn’t like the banner ads to get a free version. Some of the nice features of Thunderbird are:
1) Built-in junk mail filter
2) Built-in RSS news reader so you can read my blog without having to come here.
3) 100% customizable
4) 100% FREE
MSN Spaces, TiVO, and BitTorrent
I was reading on Slashdot that Microsoft has started a blogging site. It has a couple of nice points for a free site but I still like Blogger better. MSN Spaces has RSS feeds, a buil-in MoBlog, and trackbacks; which Blogger doesn’t offer but I can still have my Blogger page on my site instead of a long address like http://spaces.msn.com/members/dgstinner
Also on Slashdot, there’s a story about some networks screwing with PVR’s like TiVO and ReplayTV by adjusting the time of shows by a minute. So instead of a show running from 8:00 – 9:00, the networks would say that it runs from 8:01 – 9:01 which on some recorders won’t allow you to record another show at 9:00 because there’s still one minute left on the previous show. Of course if all networks did this, it would be pointless because then everything would be the same. I can see network families screwing with this, like Fox scheduling stuff at :01 and their FX network at :00.
In yet another article I was reading on Slashdot, Suprnova.org, which is the KaZaa of BitTorrent, is developing a file-sharing application to decentralize BitTorrent. With BitTorrent being centralized, it’s easier to figure who downloaded what files (centralized servers is what helped bring about the downfall of Napster before it became a pay service). They’re beta testing with 5,000 people right now but with how popular SuprNova and BitTorrent are, an application like this would be HUGE.
iTunes Plugin
I’ve discovered an iTunes plugin that will post the song I’m listening to into my blog here. You can either set it up to insert it automatically in the top of the post, the bottom of the post, or manually anywhere by hitting F11, which is the way I’m doing it for now.
[Listening to: Nine Inch Nails - Hurt (4:24)]
iTrip
I picked up the iTrip for my iPod. For those of you who don’t know, the iTrip broadcasts over empty FM stations for listening in your car. I’d rather have this than one of those horrible cassette adapters like I’ve always had for my CD players. Now all that’s left for me to get for my iPod is a case and a car charger and I’ll have all the “necessary” accessories.