Brian has sent you a link to a blog:
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Blog: Official Google Docs Blog
Post: Editing your Google Docs on the go
Link: http://googledocs.blogspot.com/2010/11/editing-your-google-docs-on-go.html
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Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
SyFy network now blocking Google TV
So it appears that SyFy.com is now blocking episodes from being watched on Google TV. Not sure what the reason is yet but I am pretty sure that NBC owns SyFy and NBC is already blocking GTV... not sure if any other networks are planning to block GTV so stay tuned...
-- Brian
-- Brian
Quick tip for Twitter on Google TV
The Twitter app on Google TV takes a little getting used to but once you get the hang of it, it is actually pretty nice.
Here is a little tip that I just discovered: In a tweet that includes a Twitter user, a hashtag or a web link, you just have to double-click that selection and you will bring up a new page with more details.
Example would be in a tweet that has "@googletv rocks, go to www.google.com/tv to check it out! #googlerocks" all you need to do is double click @googletv - it brings up the user info for that name, double click #googlerocks and it will bring up all the tweets that contain that hashtag, and by double clicking the www.google.com/tv will take you outside of Twitter and open up that webpage in the Chrome browser. All in all I think it is pretty slick.
So give it a shot... and enjoy!
-- Brian
Here is a little tip that I just discovered: In a tweet that includes a Twitter user, a hashtag or a web link, you just have to double-click that selection and you will bring up a new page with more details.
Example would be in a tweet that has "@googletv rocks, go to www.google.com/tv to check it out! #googlerocks" all you need to do is double click @googletv - it brings up the user info for that name, double click #googlerocks and it will bring up all the tweets that contain that hashtag, and by double clicking the www.google.com/tv will take you outside of Twitter and open up that webpage in the Chrome browser. All in all I think it is pretty slick.
So give it a shot... and enjoy!
-- Brian
Google TV - The experience
So I have had my GTV running for the last couple of weeks and overall I am extremely pleased with it. As I mentioned in my last post, I was hoping to drop my cable service once I had my Google TV, but as you will read that isn't really an option just yet.
Knowing that this is a Google product and the first two manufacturers of the device are Logitech and Sony (Sony has it built in to some of their TV's and also a stand alone Blu Ray player) made this a no-brainer for me. This is the first generation of Google TV and they are entering waters that no one has been before - sure their is Apple TV and Roku and other devices that do similar things but mainly they are separate from the TV experience. Like when you want to switch from watching cable TV to a DVD, you switch devices and that is how the competition does it. What I like about GTV is that it is running with your TV experience.
So how does that actually work with it running with your TV? Pretty well in theory... but the major TV networks and Hulu are causing it to be frustrating for the moment. All of the major networks (except for FOX for right now) are blocking GTV from accessing their content online. They - NBC, CBS and ABC all have full episodes available online that you can watch from a computer... just not your Google TV. The reason is all about money. The networks are afraid that if you can get your fix of House or American Idol online then you wont watch regular TV anymore - and that is where the advertising dollar is at a premium. Their short-sided fear isn't gaining them any friends nor is it solving that problem. It is only delaying it... but that would be a whole separate story!
So what can you do with your Google TV? You can watch full episodes on the websites of other networks - like TNT or TBS or others - check out this story about a pretty full list of sites: http://gigaom.com/video/shows-you-can-watch-for-free-with-google-tv-2
You can also stream music from Pandora or Napster and have it play in the background while you browse the Internet. GTV has a full browser built-in and it gives basically the same experience that you get from a computer with the benefit of having it right on your TV! That is one of the best features for me and I use it a lot! You can also have your live TV program in a small box at the same time so you can still watch your show while you use other applications in Google TV. Those applications are just a handful right now but will explode next year when developers release apps specific for GTV. For right now you have Pandora, Napster, CNBC, Twitter, NBA Game Time and Netflix. If you don't have a Netflix account - get one! The amount of available content that you can watch instantly and with it being integrated into Google TV makes it a stand out feature. Once you have your Instant Queue set up just go the Netflix app, select the show or movie you want to watch and within a few seconds it will begin playing and it looks fantastic!!
The whole experience just works for me. It is kind of quirky at times and it isn't something that I could get for my Mom and expect her to "get it"... at least not yet. I think the reason for that is because this device is so new and innovative that no one, not even Google, is sure exactly how this will grow. I truly believe that Google knows they have work to do and are keeping a close eye on how things progress with the early adopters like me. I can't reduce or drop my cable service yet but I believe over time that will change. There just isn't enough network shows online yet. I think if anyone can figure out a way to get the networks to open up their content, it's Google. And everyone will benefit, the networks, Google, and us the end-users!
The possibilities are endless now, and our TV experience has changed forever for the better. So if you have a Google TV, let me know how its going for you, or if you are thinking of buying one and have questions just let me know!
And happy couch surfing!
-- Brian
Knowing that this is a Google product and the first two manufacturers of the device are Logitech and Sony (Sony has it built in to some of their TV's and also a stand alone Blu Ray player) made this a no-brainer for me. This is the first generation of Google TV and they are entering waters that no one has been before - sure their is Apple TV and Roku and other devices that do similar things but mainly they are separate from the TV experience. Like when you want to switch from watching cable TV to a DVD, you switch devices and that is how the competition does it. What I like about GTV is that it is running with your TV experience.
So how does that actually work with it running with your TV? Pretty well in theory... but the major TV networks and Hulu are causing it to be frustrating for the moment. All of the major networks (except for FOX for right now) are blocking GTV from accessing their content online. They - NBC, CBS and ABC all have full episodes available online that you can watch from a computer... just not your Google TV. The reason is all about money. The networks are afraid that if you can get your fix of House or American Idol online then you wont watch regular TV anymore - and that is where the advertising dollar is at a premium. Their short-sided fear isn't gaining them any friends nor is it solving that problem. It is only delaying it... but that would be a whole separate story!
So what can you do with your Google TV? You can watch full episodes on the websites of other networks - like TNT or TBS or others - check out this story about a pretty full list of sites: http://gigaom.com/video/shows-you-can-watch-for-free-with-google-tv-2
You can also stream music from Pandora or Napster and have it play in the background while you browse the Internet. GTV has a full browser built-in and it gives basically the same experience that you get from a computer with the benefit of having it right on your TV! That is one of the best features for me and I use it a lot! You can also have your live TV program in a small box at the same time so you can still watch your show while you use other applications in Google TV. Those applications are just a handful right now but will explode next year when developers release apps specific for GTV. For right now you have Pandora, Napster, CNBC, Twitter, NBA Game Time and Netflix. If you don't have a Netflix account - get one! The amount of available content that you can watch instantly and with it being integrated into Google TV makes it a stand out feature. Once you have your Instant Queue set up just go the Netflix app, select the show or movie you want to watch and within a few seconds it will begin playing and it looks fantastic!!
The whole experience just works for me. It is kind of quirky at times and it isn't something that I could get for my Mom and expect her to "get it"... at least not yet. I think the reason for that is because this device is so new and innovative that no one, not even Google, is sure exactly how this will grow. I truly believe that Google knows they have work to do and are keeping a close eye on how things progress with the early adopters like me. I can't reduce or drop my cable service yet but I believe over time that will change. There just isn't enough network shows online yet. I think if anyone can figure out a way to get the networks to open up their content, it's Google. And everyone will benefit, the networks, Google, and us the end-users!
The possibilities are endless now, and our TV experience has changed forever for the better. So if you have a Google TV, let me know how its going for you, or if you are thinking of buying one and have questions just let me know!
And happy couch surfing!
-- Brian
Google TV - Setting it up
So Google TV has launched and there are lots of places to read a review or two... but I thought I would share my $0.02 as well.
I was excited about getting a GTV from the day it was announced. I had high expectations and my biggest thought was that I could reduce, or even eliminate, my cable service. I followed the tidbits of information as it came out and when it was finally time to pre-order one, I did. I bought the Logitech Revue direct from Logitech. It comes with a full size qwerty keyboard and a small box that you connect between your set top box (either cable or satellite) and your TV or A/V system via an HDMI cable. That is it, but it is all you need.
Once you connect everything then you need to set it up. It is fairly straightforward because Logitech has done such a great job of having all the codes needed for virtually every manufacturer of set top box, A/V system and TV due to their Harmony line of universal remotes. The biggest hiccup I had was that my STB (set top box) is a Motorola and they only allow 2 HDMI devices to be connected in a row... so from my STB to my GTV then to my A/V system caused an issue that I had no picture. Thankfully I had already read up on this on the Logitech support website and knew that I would need an optical cable and that I would need to run my HDMI cable direct to my TV. For those that aren't as comfortable in connecting up their home theater system this could cause some heartburn but you can always but it from Best Buy and have Geek Squad hook it up for you, or ask your geeky friend to lend a hand.
Once everything is connected properly the set-up was a snap. It asks for all your model numbers and when it is finished, your keyboard (which is also your universal remote now) is able to control everything you need. Your set top box, TV and A/V system can all be controlled immediately upon finishing the set up. You don't have to do a thing.
Once you are done setting it up it's time to check out all the features. Which I will cover in my next blog...
-- Brian
I was excited about getting a GTV from the day it was announced. I had high expectations and my biggest thought was that I could reduce, or even eliminate, my cable service. I followed the tidbits of information as it came out and when it was finally time to pre-order one, I did. I bought the Logitech Revue direct from Logitech. It comes with a full size qwerty keyboard and a small box that you connect between your set top box (either cable or satellite) and your TV or A/V system via an HDMI cable. That is it, but it is all you need.
Once you connect everything then you need to set it up. It is fairly straightforward because Logitech has done such a great job of having all the codes needed for virtually every manufacturer of set top box, A/V system and TV due to their Harmony line of universal remotes. The biggest hiccup I had was that my STB (set top box) is a Motorola and they only allow 2 HDMI devices to be connected in a row... so from my STB to my GTV then to my A/V system caused an issue that I had no picture. Thankfully I had already read up on this on the Logitech support website and knew that I would need an optical cable and that I would need to run my HDMI cable direct to my TV. For those that aren't as comfortable in connecting up their home theater system this could cause some heartburn but you can always but it from Best Buy and have Geek Squad hook it up for you, or ask your geeky friend to lend a hand.
Once everything is connected properly the set-up was a snap. It asks for all your model numbers and when it is finished, your keyboard (which is also your universal remote now) is able to control everything you need. Your set top box, TV and A/V system can all be controlled immediately upon finishing the set up. You don't have to do a thing.
Once you are done setting it up it's time to check out all the features. Which I will cover in my next blog...
-- Brian
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
New focus for my blog
I have had this blog for some time but lately (as in the last year or more) I haven't had a very clear focus. I used it more as a dumping ground for various things and it never had anything cohesive to give it a clear message.
So after some thought I decided to go ahead and narrow my focus of this blog and concentrate on technology. I have always had a passion for all things tech and I want this blog to reflect the passion that I have for it. So hopefully it will be a beneficial place for people, a place that you can learn about cutting-edge technology, a place where thoughts and opinions can be shared, and most of all have it provide some value.
I am not a writer so hopefully as I get more and more into this, that my skills will continue to improve. I will also be trying to read up on ways that I can improve this blog , so if you have some thoughts on ways I can do that please let me know!
I have been in the telecommunications industry for a long time. So with that I am going to be discussing a lot of things related to wireless technology and cellular phones. I currently carry an HTC Evo 4G android phone after using an iPhone for over 3 years. I also just got a Google TV and am really trying to learn all about it because I truly feel it will revolutionize how we use tv as we know it now. So I will try and post some tips and tricks that I have uncovered - either by myself or from other places on the interwebs!
So with that I will be done for now but am excited about the direction that I am going with this. I will be posting a bit on Google TV very soon!
Thanks and enjoy!
Sincerely,
Brian
So after some thought I decided to go ahead and narrow my focus of this blog and concentrate on technology. I have always had a passion for all things tech and I want this blog to reflect the passion that I have for it. So hopefully it will be a beneficial place for people, a place that you can learn about cutting-edge technology, a place where thoughts and opinions can be shared, and most of all have it provide some value.
I am not a writer so hopefully as I get more and more into this, that my skills will continue to improve. I will also be trying to read up on ways that I can improve this blog , so if you have some thoughts on ways I can do that please let me know!
I have been in the telecommunications industry for a long time. So with that I am going to be discussing a lot of things related to wireless technology and cellular phones. I currently carry an HTC Evo 4G android phone after using an iPhone for over 3 years. I also just got a Google TV and am really trying to learn all about it because I truly feel it will revolutionize how we use tv as we know it now. So I will try and post some tips and tricks that I have uncovered - either by myself or from other places on the interwebs!
So with that I will be done for now but am excited about the direction that I am going with this. I will be posting a bit on Google TV very soon!
Thanks and enjoy!
Sincerely,
Brian
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