Digsby Adds Annoying Plugins



I am installing the latest version of Digsby and am shocked that the application is asking me to install a number of highly intrusive plugins with the install.

Applications like the VoloMedia plugin that calls home to mama every time you watch or listen to something in iTunes. They also are pushing a plugin by SmartShopper that essentially spys on you while you are surfing the Internet to give you offers from their partner sites.

This is a really bad move by Digsby and if they need some money why not ask people to pay for the application. It is a good one but I am not about to subject myself to installing a number of questionable plugins.

To really stick it to you at the end of the install they offer you this page.

2008digsbyDo you really think anyone in there right mind would want to have some site I have never heard of by my.freeze.com become my default home page or change to the failing Yahoo as my default search is really nuts over there.

It is these kinds of actions that make me really look at an application to make sure it is not doing something else that is questionable. If they are desperate enough to make offer me all of these utilities that call home to mama and report on my activities than I am worried about the application doing the same.

 


Processes, Processes – Killing my Web Experience



Todd’s talked about this before – you go into task manager and see a bunch of programs you closed still running. Then again you see programs you never opened running. Some of them need to be there, but others could be nixed. The worst part – it could be slowing down your Web (or computer experience).

I was working on the web – going from page to page doing research today. All of a sudden Firefox just didn’t want to load a webpage. The “Loading” graphic would stay there and the page would stay blank. Of course when the pages don’t load, the first thing I check is the cable modem. But then my twitters (which happen through a program called “Twhirl”) and my email both came in. So I have internet access.

The next step is to check Task Manager. Apple has the iPod updater in there – And I don’t even own an iPod. Google Updater is in there twice. Why? Could it be to update the Google search that is on the upper right hand corner of Firefox?

There is a nmsaccessu.exe file in there. Sounds weird, so I ended the process. Found out later that was a process used for burning DVD’s and I did burn an Ubuntu ISO to disk.

Bottom line is there were a lot of processes that were cluttering up the system, but what was worse is they were stopping me from working. Once I cleared out the unused processes, everything was back up.

When I walk away from my computer, I always put it in “Hibernate” mode. I used to straight up turn the computer off, but this way, I can keep programs open. I find more issues by doing this than if I did just turn off the computer.

Nonetheless, I do know how to fix it, so it’s not a big issue for me – Just a mild annoyance. Still, these processes need to expire off the Task Manager. I don’t want to stop what I’m doing just to kill process.

I’ll most likely continue to kill processes to get back production. It’s sad that’s what I have to do – shouldn’t have to go into Task Manager unless a program freezes. Who would be to blame? Windows, Firefox or the process that is stuck in the Task Manager? Better yet – who would accept blame for it?


CES 2009 Update



2009cesHey folks we are less than a month away for the Consumer Electronics Show and for the 4th year we are packing the gear up and headed to Las Vegas.

Our crew from the Tech Podcast Network has grown a little bit this year and it looks like 6 of us will be attending the event versus 4 from last year.

As always the agenda is very full. But like past years you can put in your special request for us to visit with specific companies and or looking for specific technology.

You can send those request to ces2009@geeknewscentral.com we will do our best to find the info you request us to find. As always our daily wrap up shows will be happening and we will have 100’s of product demos and interviews post show.

The back channel coverage that was so highly regarded last year will be increased as well. To view some of last years coverage visit  techpodcasts.blip.tv


Hey MySpace! I Really Don’t Want Email! Thank You



I really enjoy it when a social network updates or adds new features to the site. It makes it cool and exciting to have a new feature or a way to update.

However, when they add or change stuff, they change your preferences. Not in a real bad way – more in the level of sending me email. For example, a couple years ago I checked a box on MySpace that said “Don’t let people send me Event Invites”. Up until today I never received an event invite.

When I started getting them again, I went into the options to see if this box was checked. I couldn’t find the box – it must’ve been removed.

There was a box that said “Send email of event invites” and that was checked. I instantly unchecked it. So while I won’t get Event invites by email, I will see them on my MySpace page. That’s too bad, but not completely bothersome – I’ll just ignore the Event invites.

I did go through my settings and I was surprised to see how many boxes were checked for me to receive an email. I guess I never noticed it because it was things like “Email me when someone comments on a Blog”, which I rarely do. Still, I unchecked all those boxes years ago. I don’t want Email notification.

Funny thing is that MySpace doesn’t have a catch all “Don’t email me at all for any reason”. I really don’t want the email unless I ask for it, like in a contact. I get enough email as it is and really don’t want to get annoyed by a MySpace email, which will make me stop what I’m doing, go into settings I adjusted a long time ago and re-adjust.

I really think that if they add an option they shouldn’t “Assume” I want an email notification on this. And MySpace is not the only site that has done this to me. I have been in a few sites that I had to re-adjust my settings because they add or revamp areas. That is where it gets annoying. The more sites I join, the more I don’t want to be annoyed simply because they “Forgot”. There was one Social Network that changed my preferences because of updates a few times: So I removed my profile.

Bottom line: Please don’t assume I want email. I know you only want me back at your site. This is not the way to bring me back.


GNC-2008-12-11 #431 I Vent about Digital Experience



I am a bit aggravated at the folks Pepcom who organize and run Digital Experience held during CES. Really aggravating and hopefully phone call with them tomorrow will clear things up but way to much time wasted on my part trying to go again this year.

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Listener Links:
Open Letter to Steve Jobs
iPhone Application Developers Struggling

Show Notes:
Brain Scan
Video of 24hrs of Flights
Limewire adds private file sharing
SFO Ghost Terminal
YouTube Real Money Not so Fast
Exoplanet with Water Vapor
.htaccess tips and tricks
Google Chrome out of Beta
CES Insider
iPhone Copy and Paste
Leg Shake = Make no Money
Mobile Browser head to head
Nick how about a Pay no Ad Version
WordPress Version 2.7
TuneUp for Mac
Biggest Full Moon Today
Shocking info about Teens
Cancel TV but not Internet
Sony BMG Pays 1 Million Fine
Digital Medical Dog tags
IE Attack Warning
Nuclear Moon
Top 4 Tech Must Haves
Aussie ISP’s say no to Filtering
Road Warrior Guide
National Archive Search
Apple Code Crash Pystar

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New Technologies on the Horizon



As we get to the end of 2008 the predictions for what will happen next year start coming out. In the PC space it looks generally like it will be a continuation of the same process we have seen recently. Die sizes for chips will get smaller, hard drives will get larger capacities, and video cards will continue to increase in speed.

Tech Radar have put together a good summary on the main movements we will likely see in the PC space. Outside of some niche markets though, there is little need for us to have faster computers. The thrust of the technology change for the general and corporate user is going to continue towards smaller and lower power.

Intel have a new 32nm chips coming out next year with 22nm and 16nm to follow by 2012 and 2015ish. Given that they are not already touting the power and speed benefits of the new sizes yet, the incremental change in power per watt is probably less than has previously been seen. A number of new materials have gone into this technology which might be the cause of this, otherwise it could mean that speed and heat advantages from miniturisation could be disappearing.

If this is the case then processor advancement may stall for some time until a radically new technology comes to light.

In the past couple of years the PC has taken a backseat to gadgets in generating interest and entusiasm. It does not look like this will change in 2009.

Some more detail on the 32nm chips.


New Media Expo sold – Now BlogWorld and New Media Expo



2008blogworldFirst of all congratulations to Tim on his sale of New Media Expo to the folks at BlogWorld. My team at RawVoice has had to really weigh which event to attend and now its a no brainer.

I will be registering RawVoice to exhibit at the event in October of 2009. I really wish though that event was not in Las Vegas again as that is gonna keep some people away. The Podcasting Community is a tight knit group and it is hard to embrace the social aspects of the community in Vegas.

Being a big advocate of blogging in combination with podcasting though this is a great fit and should be a great event. We will have a chance to reach bloggers who have been considering being a new media creators.

I will be reaching out to the blogworld and new media expo team and hopefully we can help them make the event one that the podcasting community will embrace.

Mark your calendars for October 15–17th mine is!