Google Blog Search

As previously reported by John Battelle and Darren Rowse, Google not only announced but published their own Blog Search. The system which is of course a beta works in two different categories as you can separate between searching only Blogger.com blogs or all (rather independent) blogs.

It disturbs me greatly that they still list my old blog upon searching for my own name. And that even if it has the noindex parameters. This is absolutely idiotic, and I’d expect a lot more from Google instead of categorizing their old index. I cannot embed a robots.txt file on that server, and I’d rather prefer to keep the spiders to follow to this blog instead of disabling all of it.

After all, Duncan published a first review of the service, and my own overall experience from using Technorati and IceRocket tell me one thing: Google can’t keep up with their advantage yet. And I hope that none of these good services are going to be sold to Google. I believe that many users would jump off just for such move. ;) The index of Google Blog Search is too small, and the fact of ignoring my own personal preference of opting out with my old blog and still listing the outdated version just annoys me. Grrrrowwwgle Blog Search doesn’t make me happy at all!

/von

Firefox Extension Problem

Beware of the young birds before using them. As Robert reports, the current Firefox 1.5 Beta1 disables any extensions upon installing. There is no warning on the Firefox Website about that nasty glitch. I noticed some difference while updating from the last stable release to the Beta 1 but haven’t thought much about it – now I know.

Perhaps it depends on the version you’ve been using before, and as far as I guess, Robert was using a german-language variant of Firefox 1.0.6 – not sure how that reacts with the english version tho! However, there seems to be a workaround:

In the address bar type about:config
In the Filter line type: app.extensions.version
Now you should have a single line in the preferences saying app.extensions.version. If it does not exist just right click on the empty list and select New->String to create one
Now double click the value and set the value to 1.0 (from 1.5)

Note this is just a temporary solution and some extensions might crash Firefox – so be careful with this solution.

/von

eBay accquired Skype

Rumors became truth: eBay bought Skype for approximately $2,6 billion with another optional $1,5 billion which will be paid upon reaching predefine goals for Skype. The major idea behind this deal is to integrate the Skype technology to ease the communication between the auction partneres on eBay. With already 54 million users and 150.000 new subscribers per day, Skype is the leading company for VoIP software in over 225 countries.

The combination of eBay’s and Skype’s technology will emerge in a powerful ecommerce and communications engine. After integrating internet shop portals such as Shopping.com or Rent.com, PayPal became a major player for handling eBays online transactions. According to their press-release, a PayPal wallet associated with each Skype account could make it much easier for users to pay for Skype fee-based services, adding to the number of PayPal accounts and increasing payment volume.

I do honestly wonder if this deal will become a problem for anybody who is already using Skype for free – without paying for SkypeOut services…

[via Golem]

/von

Released: Firefox 1.5 Beta 1

The developper team released the Beta 1 for Windows and Linux and an Alpha 2 for OS X. I guess that’s a must download, must install, must use one.

Firefox 1.5 offers you to use new features like:

  • Automated update to streamline product upgrades. Notification of an update is more prominent, and updates to Firefox may now be half a megabyte or smaller. Updating extensions has also improved.
  • Faster browser navigation with improvements to back and forward button performance.
  • Drag and drop reordering for browser tabs.
  • Improvements to popup blocking.
  • Clear Private Data feature provides an easy way to quickly remove personal data through a menu item or keyboard shortcut.
  • Answers.com is added to the search engine list.
  • Improvements to product usability including descriptive error pages, redesigned options menu, RSS discovery, and „Safe Mode“ experience.
  • Better accessibility support including DHTML accessibility.
  • Report a broken Web site wizard to report Web sites that are not working in Firefox.

More of these changes and additions, and I believe Firefox will become the instant killer for Microsoft’s Internet Explorer.

[via Golem | read more | digg story]

/von

iPod nano

Gadgets, gadgets, gadgets. That’s probably a sentence I’d like to write all the time if there’s yet another one of these nifty little things that enhance our luxury life. One of these is already the well-known iPod, but by now, there’s a new stage of development: The iPod nano. This gadget keeps us entertained with the latest technology, and is a really small one, too! With a size of 9 x 4 x 0.69 centimeters and about 42.5 gramm, the USB device with 4 GByte storage will cost about 250 Euro. And those who still planned to buy the iPod mini will be disappointed since Apple apparently removed the item from their iPod-Player list.

But where’s the catch in buying this product? Besides its small size and capacity, I don’t see any benefit from it. Since most CDs are already copy right protected and nearly every copy might be a case of copyright infringement, who should really use it except to carbonize the old CDs for a nice jogging session? The expensive downloads from the iTunes music shop won’t lure me into their customer’s value chains… :(

[via Golem]

/von

Windows Vista: The Killer Application

I’m back from the beach, and just have to puke on the following question: What do you need to run the upcoming Windows Vista without facing the classic latency problems? Here’s the answer (rumor?) from Microsoft which probably outdates their official statement:

  • Dual-Core-Processor
  • 2 GByte of DDR3 memory
  • 256 MByte RAM Graphics Card
  • SATA2-Festplatte

Since Vista is using 3D vector graphics to calculate the images and graphics on screen, it’s highly advisable to have a high-end machine.

I’ll stick to Windows XP for the near future, and then once I’ve done the Bachelor and actively work on my Master’s degree, I’ll consider buying a new high-end machine. But these requirements above are simply blowing my expenses. The most amazing discovery in concern of DVDs being played on Vistamachines is simply enough of kicking the users: You will probably need a new monitor to watch HDTV since the current systems won’t be truely supported anymore. This means a new stationary PC with a brand new monitor, or a brand new Laptop. On the other hand, I might think of confessing my soul to Apple for this treachery of Microsoft!

[via Teched and Golem]

/von

The Intelligent Mouse

While using my stationary desktop PC, of course I rely on an optical cordless mouse. This morning I strumbled upon a new gadget from Logitech – the intelligent mouse MX610.

This mouse has an integrated microprocessor, and a bi-directional radio communication. The mouse can warn you about a low battery, new emails or instant messages, and the total of 10 buttons enable the user to specify any other functions if necessary. The Logitech MX610 Laser Cordless Mouse will be delivered this month for the price of 49.99 Euros. I believe that’s quite cheap for such a nice gadget. Now this new mouse, and either the Microsoft Keyboard or Optimus Keyboard will integrate my hands with that nifty technology.

Update: Further, the company announced another model, the V400, and by now I’m not sure anymore what to grab up. Either the gadget mouse from above, or the capable mouse which won’t have many problems with different surfaces. I’ve always experienced problems with surfaces, and I’ve been searching for a mouse that could handle it. We’ll see… ;)

[via Golem twice]

/von

Google Pagerank: Down or Off

Perhaps its just me again, but I cannot determine the current Google PageRank for any website via their Toolbar service. Must be the morning and the lack of caffine, and my love-ramblings probably did the rest ;) And now after yesterday’s re-categorization, I don’t even know where to file this entry. For now, it’s in „Software“, but would „Alerts“ be more useful and userfriendly?

Update
Now its back alive. Am I too fast with these things? I should be more patient and at finally learn to wait five minutes for an internet service to get back online. But then, it is Google? I do believe they have reliable servers – unless the backbones in Germany had to deal with an intense load.

/von

Playstation Portable: A waste of your money

Today is the official release in Europe of the Playstation Portable by Sony. It happened much later than i.e. in the USA, but there’s always a positive point about receiving things later than being first. Overall, you receive a product that has been tested already by the large mass of consumers, and you might find important system and security updates already on the internet. Another big bonus for scheduling the product’s release later than in the USA is the by now easier accessibility to more co-branded products (games, dvds, tools, toys) relateed to the PSP.

But I don’t really understand the hype about the product since it’s just another console with nothing else but limitations. Of course it is portable, but the whole thing is small and just for the entertainment of one person. What about your friends – do all have to buy a PSP to enjoy themselves now, or will they rely on their old Playstation 2 or the X-Box?

Further, you need to have special disks for playing games and movies, and you end up buying a totally new consumer product line that simply binds you to the Sony company. Why spending money for music and movie disks if they’re not compatible with your home cinema entertainment system? Do you plan on watching a love movie on the PSP instead of snuggling with your beloved one? I don’t plan on using the PSP for moments of romance, hah!

The games itself are much more expensive than for the counter-products of Nintendo. On top of this, the fact that the display looks dirty by just touching it while playing – this kills every fun off. So where’s the logical sense to reason buying that product except the „I want that now“-factor? I see none to waste approx. 250 Euros for that gadget! I rather choose to play games on that large beamer in our living room ;)

I would only buy such a gadget if it would offer me a combination of a mobile phone, organizer and game console. Anything else is way off the scale for both technology-centered and usability-centered users.

[via Golem and again Golem Test]

/von

9 Days until Firefox 1.5 Beta

The Developer Team of Firefox has re-scheduled their release list for the upcoming browser versions (including betas, RC1 and RC2 candidates).

The lockdown for „Firefox 1.5 Beta 1“ will occur at 11:59pm on Tuesday, Sept 6 in preparation for release on Thursday, Sept 8.

For myself, Firefox has become an essential to web browsing again. This happened basically because of the loss of confidence of Netscape, and I began using MS Internet Explorer again for another two years of time. By now, I’m regularly switching the browsers, and the more news and info I see about Firefox, the less I’m interested in the free-of-update MS IE. On another note, I guess I have my „tech days“ here at the MikeSchnoor.com. First the new Microsoft Keyboard, then Opera as a highlight, and now Firefox. What comes next? ;)

[via Golem | read more | digg story]

/von