Digital Bits is a published computer and technology column with a focus on information and education. It's written by Andy Kaiser. en-US http://www.andybrain.com Copyright 2005 Andy Kaiser 480 http://www.andybrain.com/images/brain.jpg http://www.andybrain.com The Dare is an impressive phone. When you hear about the device, some of its features may catch your ear. You may hear about the touchscreen-only interface including virtual keyboard, the auto-rotate feature based on the phone's orientation, the "scroll with your finger" navigation, and you'll think of the iPhone. I'll answer the Dare / iPhone comparison question later. Realize that this phone is not meant as "the iPhone killer", or even an "iPhone closest competitor". Or, at least, regardless of what the marketing people intended, that wasn't my impression. The designers have given the Dare many features similar to the iPhone, but the LG Dare is a phone in and of itself - there are reasons you'd get this instead of the iPhone. There are reasons you'd get the iPhone over the LG Dare. http://www.andybrain.com/extras/lg-dare-review.htm http://www.andybrain.com/extras/lg-dare-review.htm Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EST A review of the BlackBerry Curve. http://www.andybrain.com/extras/blackberry-curve-review-8830.htm http://www.andybrain.com/extras/blackberry-curve-review-8830.htm Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST A review of the LG Voyager. http://www.andybrain.com/extras/lg-voyager-review.htm http://www.andybrain.com/extras/lg-voyager-review.htm Sun, 18 May 2008 12:00:00 EST A review of the Samsung Juke. http://www.andybrain.com/extras/samsung-juke-review.htm http://www.andybrain.com/extras/samsung-juke-review.htm Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST To use this energy cost calculator, input your total electric bill amount, cost per KWH (kilowatt hour), and wattage of your device, and click the "Calculate" button. The results will calculate the energy costs for your device per minute, hour, day and year. http://www.andybrain.com/extras/energy-cost-calculator.htm http://www.andybrain.com/extras/energy-cost-calculator.htm Wed, 30 Jan 2008 12:00:00 EST Use these free music creation software tools to alternately soothe, speak, reduce and generate. From techno to classical, there's something for everyone. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/music-creation-tools.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/music-creation-tools.htm Wed, 9 Jan 2008 12:00:00 EST The Digital Bits Technology Column has created a new sub-site, the Digital Bits Science Lab. Described as science experiments and education for kids and parents, it allows children and their parents to have a good time while learning scientific concepts. These science experiments are meant for young children, older children and young adults. http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab Fri, 23 Nov 2007 12:00:00 EST Morphing is used so often in movies, it's become a science-fiction special-effect cliche. The hero, monster or robot stops during the middle of a chase, fight or conversation, and faces the camera. Features start to blur, stretch and warp. In just a few seconds, the face has changed from one form into another. The movie continues. For aspiring special effects directors who want to get into the morphing biz, there's plenty of good morphing software for your PC. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/morph-photos-and-pictures-to-video.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/morph-photos-and-pictures-to-video.htm Sun, 4 Nov 2007 12:00:00 EST The Digital Bits Technology Column receives many user-submitted questions for its hundreds of online articles. Instead of constantly appending questions to the end of each article (making for tough administration and tough reading), the Digital Bits has a new sub-site. This Question and Answer site is an easily searchable, easily maintainable repository of brief questions and answers from Digital Bits readers. Readers can even register to leave their own comments for others to read. http://www.andybrain.com/qna http://www.andybrain.com/qna Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:00:00 EST The iPod does not have an ebook-specific reader, or just a text format good for reading ebooks. It's unfortunate, because the style and capabilities of iPods make them perfect for such functions. Sure, you can use the iPod as a portable hard drive to read ebooks on any PC. But if you want to use the iPod itself as an ebook reader, it's certainly possible. Reading ebooks on an iPod consists of just copying the contents of an ebook into iPod Notes, and scrolling through multiple notes in order to read the ebook. But there are limitations. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/ebooks-on-ipod.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/ebooks-on-ipod.htm Fri, 28 Sep 2007 12:00:00 EST The cellphone antenna booster sticker test has generated a lot of user reponses. So many, in fact, they get their own page. http://www.andybrain.com/extras/cellphone-antenna-booster-sticker-review-and-test-responses.htm http://www.andybrain.com/extras/cellphone-antenna-booster-sticker-review-and-test-responses.htm Fri, 11 May 2007 12:00:00 EST Read on for a listing of good tech presents for adults http://www.andybrain.com/archive/tech-presents-for-adults.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/tech-presents-for-adults.htm Fri, 4 May 2007 12:00:00 EST It's one thing to do the usual cellphone test and analysis, we've all read that before. It's another thing to preheat an oven, take a cellphone, place it gently inside, close the door, and wait. Cook, baby, cook. Hardware reviews have never been so much fun. I had an opportunity to review the G'zOne Type-V cellphone from Verizon Wireless. Looking through the stats, nothing really jumped out at me, and I wasn't particularly excited until I read the phrase "..compliant to multiple military standards." For lack of better words: Ooo! http://www.andybrain.com/extras/gzone-review.htm http://www.andybrain.com/extras/gzone-review.htm Sun, 28 Jan 2007 12:00:00 EST The Hollywood version of alien contact is unrealistic and targets the wrong thing. It's more exciting to look at the inevitable global effects: Science gets a jumpstart with new information about planetology, biochemistry and biology. World religions must replace or amend doctrine. New fields are created for planetary exploration and expansion. Politics refocuses on cooperative off-planet expansion. The human race better understands its own origins and place in the cosmos. Finding evidence of an alien race will certainly be exciting and world-changing, but first realize one thing: Space is really, really big, and there are a lot of places to look when searching for cosmic phone calls. Just within our Milky Way galaxy, our sun is one star in 100 billion. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/seti-at-home.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/seti-at-home.htm Mon, 1 Jan 2007 12:00:00 EST Many textbooks or their equivalents are available online. Some are free, others are available used at steep discounts. One advantage of a world-spanning information source like the Internet is it introduces the "have-nots" to the "haves". College textbooks don't need to be (and shouldn't be) relegated to just your local campus bookstore and student body. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/textbooks-online.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/textbooks-online.htm Sun, 24 Dec 2006 12:00:00 EST Network neutrality owes a good portion of its popularity to Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). His misunderstanding of what he was talking about inadvertently brought to light a confusing but important issue. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/network-neutrality.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/network-neutrality.htm Sun, 17 Dec 2006 12:00:00 EST For those holding Verizon phones, look at your phone's signal information. Some of you may see a new icon on your phone, near the signal strength meter. It'll say "EV" or "EV-DO". http://www.andybrain.com/archive/ev-do-broadbandaccess-verizon.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/ev-do-broadbandaccess-verizon.htm Sun, 10 Dec 2006 12:00:00 EST Remove lyrics and vocals from music for free with little effort. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/karaoke-and-a-cappella-creation.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/karaoke-and-a-cappella-creation.htm Sun, 3 Dec 2006 12:00:00 EST Podcasting, shmodcasting. What if you don't have an MP3 player welded to your side? What if your car only has a cassette deck, no CD-player, and you've just gotta listen to your music and podcast collection? It's easy to convert PC sound to cassette tape, though you'll need some special equipment. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/pc-mp3-to-cassette-tape-conversion.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/pc-mp3-to-cassette-tape-conversion.htm Sun, 26 Nov 2006 12:00:00 EST A digital voice recorder recommendation depends on your intended use, and level of technological comfort. To start, make sure your digital voice recorder has these important characteristics: http://www.andybrain.com/archive/digital-voice-recorder-review.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/digital-voice-recorder-review.htm Sun, 19 Nov 2006 12:00:00 EST Also spelled "EVDO", "EvDO", "3xEV-DO", or "Evolution-Data Optimized third generation", we're talking about a special high-speed network by Verizon Wireless, allowing extremely fast data transmissions to cellphones, smartphones and PC cards (used for PC tethering). This gives users functionality previously limited by transmission speeds. From streaming video to downloading files, EV-DO networks are a significant and necessary step in transforming and improving our cellular devices. Verizon calls their EV-DO network "BroadbandAccess". http://www.andybrain.com/extras/ev-do-speed-measurements-and-tethering.htm http://www.andybrain.com/extras/ev-do-speed-measurements-and-tethering.htm Mon, 13 Nov 2006 12:00:00 EST I was thrilled when I opened a present from a friend and saw the video game "EverQuest". This was one of the original super-popular "Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games", or "MMORPGs". As the name implies, play consists of groups of people getting together via the Internet to immerse themselves in a magical world of monsters, heroes, and timeless battles of good and evil. Or, as my wife described it, "That game where you kill things and pretend you're an elf." I jumped into the game with chain-mailed fists held high. I played for hours. Every day. After all, EverQuest gaming is by monthly subscription, and I wanted to get my money's worth. And when you've got to return the sixth King's Disk fragment to Rokiln's Tomb, well, time kinda slips by. These days, I don't have time to play MMORPGs. Pay attention when these games are described as "massive world-builders", because they're not kidding. You're playing in a huge, often endless simulation, and this takes a lot of time to appreciate, enjoy, and gain skills. This is where you come in. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/mmorpg-list-online-role-playing-games.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/mmorpg-list-online-role-playing-games.htm Sun, 12 Nov 2006 12:00:00 EST The introduction of technology to previously non-tech hobbies is a huge benefit. It allows us to better improve on our old hobbies in ways not previously possible. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/new-tricks-for-old-tech.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/new-tricks-for-old-tech.htm Sun, 5 Nov 2006 12:00:00 EST If you don't have superpowers or a space shuttle in your garage, you can still tour the solar system and beyond. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/astronomy-software.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/astronomy-software.htm Sun, 29 Oct 2006 12:00:00 EST You want a cheap cellphone. No perks. All you care about is pushing buttons and hearing Aunt Petunia's voice on the other end. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/cheap-cellphones.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/cheap-cellphones.htm Sun, 22 Oct 2006 12:00:00 EST Normally, all email is sent in a way easily intercepted and read by those with some basic knowledge. "Public key" and "private key" email encryption techniques enable users to hide the contents of any email message, protecting the information with complex, unbreakable mathematical formulas. Keep reading to find out how to encrypt email. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/email-encryption.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/email-encryption.htm Sun, 15 Oct 2006 12:00:00 EST Saving time while typing doesn't just mean hitting a key sequence. Often it involves completely changing the way you enter data. You may have disabilities, personal preferences or odd religious beliefs nudging you towards something different. If so, use these "alternate input devices". A fancy way of saying "different ways to type instead of on regular keyboards", improve performance while typing and navigating on your computer. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/alternate-input-keyboards.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/alternate-input-keyboards.htm Sun, 8 Oct 2006 12:00:00 EST Save hassle and time: Keep track of your book collection on a computer. Like an electronic library, book collection software displays your library contents. Track information about your library, like if you've read a book, who borrowed it, and when they'll return it. Automatically download images of a book's front cover, and track other helpful information, like back cover text, author, cover price, and books missing from your collection which you'd like to buy. Read on for a review of Collectorz book collection software. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/book-collection-software-review.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/book-collection-software-review.htm Sun, 1 Oct 2006 13:00:00 EST These words were typed on an AlphaSmart Neo. The Neo is a compact keyboard with a small display attached. It behaves like a simple word processor with perks. The perks are being able to save and work with multiple text files, run special programs (called "applets"), and send and receive information to computer via USB or infrared (the computer can be a Windows PC, a Mac, or even a Palm-compatible device). Read on for the full review of the Alphasmart Neo. http://www.andybrain.com/extras/alphasmart-neo-review.htm http://www.andybrain.com/extras/alphasmart-neo-review.htm Sun, 1 Oct 2006 12:00:00 EST I'll be honest: The first thing I noticed about the VerizonWireless Chocolate cellphone is that it looks very, very cool. If you're just trying to impress people, this phone fits the bill. The LG Chocolate cellphone is a sort of hybrid cellphone and MP3 music player. http://www.andybrain.com/extras/chocolate-lg-vx8500-review.htm http://www.andybrain.com/extras/chocolate-lg-vx8500-review.htm Thu, 28 Sep 2006 12:00:00 EST Make way for new fancy laptops, ones with special pens allowing you to write on the screen. Writing is done with a special stylus, great for taking notes or drawing pictures. The laptop screen can rotate and fold down so that you're literally holding a tablet, a thick electronic notepad. When in notepad form, use the stylus as a mouse to interact with objects on screen. These special laptops are called "Tablet PCs". Are Tablet PCs inventive and helpful, or just a gimmick? My answer is floppier than Gumby in a microwave: Tablet PCs are indeed a needed and handy new technology, but certain aspects need improvement. http://www.andybrain.com/archive/tablet-pc-review.htm http://www.andybrain.com/archive/tablet-pc-review.htm Sun, 24 Sep 2006 12:00:00 EST