The Global Geek Podcast #63 :: Explosions are Nice
This is the Global Geek Podcast Number 63 and in Tech this week Apple puts Linux users out to dry, a race to the moon with Google, Skype has another bout of worms and TRON to make a come back.
In applications Facebook does a 360, a fresh look for a popular media player, IM on AIR and FTP just got better for all of us. The best thing is they are all free.
Sites and services this week is a bonanza of social network free sites, we have had enough of that and we are taking a week off all things social. But what we do have is a top shelf site for keyboard ninjas, a new visual search engine and a great web app for creating flow charts and diagrams.
As usual you’ll get the Firefox extensions, the updates, the Mac Lab Rat and your valued Feedback thrown into the mix.
Please enjoy this weeks GGP!
The Global Geek Podcast #63 (MP3 - 42.53 MB - 1:14:17)
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Show Notes
Welcome
Technology News
- Apple kills compatibility with new iPods
- Google Sponsor Race to the Moon
- 145 Operating Systems on one Machine
- Firefox and Google and the Ad Blocking Debate
- Wikipedia Mark 2 Million
- IBM Joins Forces with OpenOffice.org
- TRON Sequel
- Skype Worm
- Polish President Google Bomb
Promo Spot :: The Comic Review Weekly
Applications
- 360Gadgets (Facebook): Netvibes like application for Facebook
- SMPlayer (Windows and Linux): Play anything media player without downloading codecs separate
- WinAmp 5.5: Huge Overhaul of popular media player (we forgot to mention that this will be released on the 10th of October. But it is available in beta
) - Air Talkr (AIR): IM client built on Adobe AIR
- FileZilla (Windows, Linux and Mac): One of the best FTP applications just got a rebuild and rewrite
Firefox Extensions
- Tab Scope: Page previews in tabs that are totally interactive and useable
- CoScripter: Record scripts for websites that involve repetitive tasks
- Social Media: See what sites have been added to what social networks and use the information to your advantage
GGP Mac Lab Rat :: Keith Murray
- Mactracker
- ABFL (A Better Finder Launcher)
- TypePad & Movable Type Supports iPhone (via)
Sites and Services
- KeyXL: The best reference guide for keyboard shortcuts
- oScope: Visual Search engine for Fliickr, Amazon, eBay and YouTube
- DrawAnywhere: Create charts and diagrams with lots of options and export features
- ElectroCity: Mini SimCity for the energy and power conscious, great for kids and a top diversion for the rest of us
Updates
- Google Moon Updated
- Meebo Adds File Transfer
- Technorati Battles to Stay Relevant with New Topics Feature
- Google in Court in Australia
Feedback
Farewell
Don’t Forget the GGP Geek Chat!
Featured Music
Crash Boom Bang
“Are You Ready?” (mp3)
from “Dangerous”
(Quickstar Productions)
More On This Album
September 18th, 2007 at 4:43 am
Hi Guys.
The Pole is now facing 3 years of prison for insulting the president.
You pronounced the Polish word ‘kutas’ quite well! There is no ‘hhhch’ in it. Actually this word doesn’t mean penis. The word penis is penis, the word kutas is more vulgar. It’s not a medical term ;].
Cheers for the episode guys and your pronunciation Dave is getting better all the time.
September 18th, 2007 at 5:03 am
Just got one thing to say. Love the new Winamp
September 18th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Just finished the show. I dont understand the ipod story. Most media players support USB mass storage. Yea, some stupid toshiba players only support MTP, like the Zune. What’s the big deal about generating a XML file? What’s wrong with Gizmo? It rocks on my Nokia. Tried tivi or truphone? Mashable did a huge voip post last week. If the issue is packet shaping maybe you need to get encryption working? Speaking of encryption. Why the would anyone use ftp when you can use sftp/scp/openssh? Regarding Twitter and IM. Jaiku did it two weeks ago. You can use your IM client to monitor or post. I’ve tried gmail, palringo, fring, and adium and they all work fine. Do you really feel 400 million is a lot of downloads? You download every time you patch because of a security issue. How many times have you upgraded firefox over the last 5 years? Multiply that by your computers. I use noscript.
ps - hunger is a logistical/infrastructure issue. It has nothing to do with a shortage of food.
September 18th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
I agree with you - Office is a rip off. I still use it but the serials are created using a keygen, I would never pay much money for a program like it. I also use notepads for notes, and only use word for assignments etc.
Oh and I was in church the other day, and they were talking about words that are put together and don’t belong together.
One example was: “Pretty ugly” - So it is pretty but it’s also ugly???
The last example used was “Windows Works”, and of course the guy saying it was a MAC user.
About the new iPod’s you featured on last weeks show, I think I will be pre-ordering a Touch (16GB) soon, if not I will purchasing it on release. The only downside I can see so far is:
No flash support, although Jobs said it is a possibility that it will happen soon.
And the fact of posting back/replacing ipod touch for the battery. Hopefully someone will start selling them so you can do it yourself.
September 18th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
Yeah, I use Firefox with AdBlocker turned on myself. Why do I want to be inundated with obnoxious advertisements? Do I feel that I’m “stealing” content because I’m not looking at the provider’s advertisements? Hell no! If you don’t want your content “stolen” then password it, ’cause if you’re providing content free to the web, then people have the right to read it any way they want to. If I decide to change my screen fonts or make them larger, am I guilty of “altering” your content because it doesn’t display in the way you intended it? Am I “stealing” news by reading a newspaper I find on a park bench?
If providers want users to stop blocking advertisements, then they should start thinking about making them less obnoxious and in-your-face and be more subtle about it, and maybe advertising something useful. If I’m looking for a service, I’m certainly not going to click on an animated, screaming red and yellow flashing ad to find what I’m looking for.
September 19th, 2007 at 5:58 am
Well said Herne. Those are my thoughts exactly on the whole issue of ad blocking becoming illegal. It wouldn’t be such a big problem if the ads didn’t crash browsers, slow down sites, and just overall, ruined the browsing experience.
September 19th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Good show again guys. I listened to Eps 62 and 63 sequentially so i had a double dose this week.
September 19th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
Yeah I agree Hern. I have said before if ads were good I would want to click on them.
The issue is not that blocking software will become illegal - it is the fact that sites (although few at this time) are blocking Firefox users that use the extensions.
It is an issue that I don’t think we have seen the end of.
Thanks George. Great to hear that your still with us - thanks.
Hey Peter Tim reckons the new one is good as well
September 21st, 2007 at 10:40 am
Another stellar podcast
I’m must fess up and admit I still use IE
The reason?
I guess I’m arse lazy and I’m used to IE, I’m not overly techie and it sound like firefox takes some configuring?
I’ve got it installed, should try it a bit more I guess
September 21st, 2007 at 3:56 pm
@Hugh nope Firefox does not require any configuring at all. But the good thing is that you can if you want to and if you do it is very, very easy.
Adding Extensions is as easy as clicking instal then a restart of Firefox. Want to get rid of one - easy - Go manage add-ons and uninstall it.
You can also modify the theme (look) of Firefox and you can also modify what is displayed and how in the interface. But all this is optional - try just using it and for a while.
I would recommend a few plugins/extensions/add-ons if you wish - maybe we should do a recommended add-ons Firefox segment one week?
I was exactly like you until I started using it and then fell in love with Firefox and security is only one aspect. All in all it is the total package IMHO.
Let us know how you get on.
September 21st, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Hugh
As Dave said, firefox is really easy to set up and beats the pants off IE. With FF you when you run say ad-aware i doubt you will find anything, with IE, well you know the drill.
Cast your mind back to Daves rebuild podcast, in it he lists some of his favourite add ons. The one I use the most is adblock. Get rid of those pesky adds.
Cheers
September 29th, 2007 at 12:53 am
Maybe you guys should look into X-Lite as a VoIP / Skype substitute. Seems to work pretty well for me.