Harry Connick Jr. Is A Dick

@LizaWasHere: @Cecilyk Remember his opening line? HCJr thought all the women bloggers would have short hair and be wearing suspenders. #blissdom

At the Fuze club here in the Opryland Hotel, Harry Connick Jr. performed for the ladies of Blissdom last night. Now, for future references I have no idea who the hell this guy is. Never heard of him before Blissdom and I was looking forward to hearing his music. After his first set, I thought I’d stick around until Harry made the stupidest comment ever to the women of the audience.

To Homophobes: Stay Home

@LizaWasHere: Harry Connick Jr supports strong women as long as they are not butch. So disappointing. #blissdom

“I thought you all were going to be wearing suspenders” and be butch women. Yes, Harry Connick used the word butch, which is another term for lesbian. The difference between the two is that butch is normally used in a derogatory way. And that’s exactly how Harry meant to use it. He thought he was complimenting the audience at the same time. Sorry, but you need a serious reality check. He offended women as a whole and let a light shine on the ignorance of some people, even celebrities, today.

Tips For Conferences & Special Guests

As a lesbian, I was not surprised, but definitely offend. So here are some tips for future conference organizers and people in general:

• Know your audience before you show up
• If you received a warm welcome, GIVE IT BACK!
• What’s the point in being negative again? Right….
• Inform your special guest of what’s appropriate and not appropriate to say to the audience
• Leave your pre-conceived notions at the back door with slavery

That’s all folks. You can go back to your regularly scheduled programming now.

Disclosure: I hate disclosures and I’m very thankful that the ladies of Blissdom paid for my travel and housing. Sorry, if you feel some sort of way about it. I’m not a millionaire yet.

Starting With A Connection

Technology allows us to make these wonderful connections with people. I’ve been meeting some of those connections in person like Liz Strauss, Jenn Fowler, Lucretia Pruitt, Kelby Carr and Jessica Smith. Wonderful right? The thing about following people on Twitter is that you really feel like you know them. But you don’t. You’ll never know someone from a single tweet. You learn from them, but never about them. You know of them, but you don’t know them.

Deepening Connections

At Blissdom, I noticed something different about these ladies. It wasn’t clear to me at first. After taking the time to converse, joke, laugh, and brainstorm with these women, I realized that I didn’t know them. Why? Because I’d never seen them smile. I’d never heard them laugh. I didn’t know the depth of their knowledge until I engaged with them.

Definition of “engage”

to occupy the attention or efforts of a person or persons.

I occupied a lot of their attention, but more importantly I tried to make their efforts worthwhile. Twitter can’t capture the experience and brilliance of engaging with these women. There are not enough characters, or time, to truly engage with people online. That doesn’t mean Twitter isn’t worth the effort. If anything, your connections wouldn’t become an engagement if not for Twitter. But these tools are just an introduction.

I have to thank Alli Worthington and Barbara Jones for providing an amazing event and avenue for me to deepen the connections I’ve made.

Discuss It

Are there any differences you’ve noticed when meeting an online connection at an offline event? I’d love to hear what you’ve learned and experienced.

Outside: Animated Weather

Outside is an amazing designed iPhone weather app for travelers. It brings back memories of the times you looked outside your window to see what the day would be like. Outside displays smooth animations to compliment the weather results. It gives you information about:

• Current temperature / “Feels like”
• Sunrise / Sunset
• UV
• Humidity
• Cloud Cover
• Wind

and more of course.
     

iPhone Weather Notifications

Outside has become more than just a weather app. It is now a must have iPhone app when traveling because of its awesome notification features.  As a conference speaker and Intel Insider, I try to take on the bulk of opportunities given to me to make a difference. In doing so, things can get hectic. When they do, some things are bound to be forgotten and it’s usually the weather. So I barely pack what I should. Outside’s notifications help me with that.

Want to know if you should be packing t-shirts or gloves? That’s one thing the Outside weather app can help you with. The notifications feature lets you set alerts for:

• T-shirt weather
• Cold weather
• High UV
• Rain
• Snow

Set the temperature and time to be notified and you’re all set. All days and forecasts that fall under the alerts are noted with a small icon in the app.
      

The Costs: Priceless

You receive alerts via push notifications for 30 days when you buy Outside. Afterwards you’ll have to subscribe, which is really cheap:

• 90 days notifications $.99
• 300 days notifications $1.99

This isn’t a dent in your wallet and I’d advise going with the 300 days subscription. Outside shows up to 4 days of forecasts, which isn’t a lot, but enough for most travelers. One downside to the app is that you cannot see the weather for multiple cities at once. So you’ll have to remember to make some changes. All in all, Outside is worth the for a fantastic design, going beyond the standards of the native UI, all for less than a gallon of gas in Atlanta.

Tomorrow, I’ll be traveling to beautiful California for the Intel Youth Rock Stars Summit at Intel HQ. Some fantastic teen tech bloggers will be joining me for a full-day of Intel gadgets and insights. I’ll be joined by:

• Teresa Wu of College Candy and By Teresa Wu
• Chris Lesinski of Hack College
• Kelly Sutton of Hack College
• Daniel Brusilovsky of Teens in Tech (tentative)
• Serena Wu of Social Geekette (tentative)
• Julia Rubin of Under the Button
• Arielle Patrice Scott

FTC Discloser: Intel is covering my travel and accommodations. I will also be receiving a Dell Mini netbook for my participate in the summit.”
      

The Intel Youth Rock Stars Summit is an all-day event where we discuss the latest developments in Intel technology. We’re taking a look at Intel’s new Core 2010 processor family, mobile gadgets for students, gaming, and tons more. Have you seen some of the cool things Intel? I recommend checking out the Intel AppUp Center For Netbooks pictured above. Think of it as the future app store for your current netbook.
       

Stay Updated The Easy Way

Be sure to subscribe to SheGeeks.net and follow me (@Corvida) on twitter to stay updated on the day’s festivities. I’ll be blogging, reviewing, tweeting, and twitpicing as much as possible. We’ll even be joined by Intel’s very own “Rock Star” Mario Paniccia. Stay tuned!

The Apple iPad

The iPad stands at:

• 9.7 inches, .5 inches thin, and 1.5lbs
• Multi-touch
• Holds up to 64GB of flash storage
• Powered by Apple’s very own 1Ghz Apple A4 chip
• 10 hour batter life / 30 days standby time
• Starting price: $499 (Kindle starts at $259)

It also runs just about every iPhone app available for download. Yes, iPhone apps! There’s 140,000 of them and you might be looking forward to curling up with the iPad and a few faves. That is unless you’re Amazon.

The iBook Store

What’s the deal with Amazon? Not only did Apple release a new device, but a new ebook app directory called iBook Store. The iBook Store will allow for browsing and purchasing of books directly from the iPad. It will support ePub formatted books, which is are supported by the Sony Reader and Adobe Digital Editions for desktops. It makes the iPad one of the biggest potential competitors for the Amazon Kindle, which really had no competition up until now. Apple also enlisted five large publishers to join in on the world domination:

• Penguin
• Harper Collins
• Macmillan
• Hachette Book Group
• Simon & Schuster

Suites like iWork have been completely revamped for the iPad and iPhone app developers will be allowed to take advantage of the extra real estate. The event begs the question, will the Amazon Kindle survive?

Apple iPad VS Amazon Kindle

There’s no denying that Apple is encroaching on Amazon’s grounds with iBookstore and the iPad. Apple is playing catch-up in field of ebook readers, but they already have an advantage considering the platform that the iPad is built from. The transition is a natural one for iPhone owners. Plus, the iPad would probably get picked up more often than the Kindle on looks alone. If iBookstore spreads to the iPhone the Amazon Kindle will be in serious trouble.

But Amazon has firm following of die hard Kindle owners. Plus, almost everyone goes to Amazon to buy books at discounted prices. If we’re going by Apple’s music model, ebooks might be dirt cheap. Cheaper or on par with the $9.99 cost of most Kindle downloads.

Look, I only want to know one thing from you:

• Will you even buy the iPad?

The mobile business trends and products I’m going to tell you about are technologies that are popping up like popcorn and everyone’s hungry for them. Just look at how Facebook and Twitter have become standards on nearly every mobile platform. From smartphones to cars made by Ford, mobile technology is changing lives in ways that affect your business. They are becoming a must have tool and product for businesses to adopt in their day-to-day social media strategy. Here’s a look at the mobile business trends and products that you don’t want to be out of the loop about:

Location-based Mobile Services

Are you checking in? If you’re not, you’re doing a horrible disservice to your friends and the places you love to visit. How many times have you called someone while you’re out only to find out that you just missed one another? Location-based mobile services like Foursquare, Brightkite, Gowalla, and even Waze are helping businesses make connections. Take Foursquare for example. Foursquare is changing the world and reinventing how a customer loyalty program really works. Their services can help improve almost any business’ customer service ratings.

So why would you want folks checking into your business on these services? You separate the newcomers from your those you love your services. If your business is smart you’re keeping track of these folks. They’re  not just a regular of your business. According to Foursquare, they’re the mayor of your business! Would you turn down the chance to talk to the actual Mayor of your city if she came into your store? Didn’t think so. The same should apply to the mayor of your business on Foursquare. Just ask Intel, Bay Area Transit, Metro Newspaper, or Guidewire Group’s VP of Community Strategy & Engagement, Carla Thompson.

Always Wireless Internet

The Verizon MiFi (amazon affiliate link) was my favorite device at CES this past January. It’s a wireless hotspot running on the fast Verizon Wireless network. The MiFi is the size of a credit card and connects up to 5 devices (my iPhone and iPod Touch never worked). I was on the internet everywhere:

• at my neighbor’s house
• in a hotel
• at a restaurant where wifi wasn’t free

What was I doing? Just about everything I can think of. I really pushed it to it’s limits with downloads, video streaming, and more. Yes, I know about the data caps Verizon has, but this is a great tool to have if you’re workshifting as Chris Brogran calls it. Mobile usage dominated 2009 and will continue to grow in leaps. The MiFi is only the beginning and Verizon is leading the push for excellent wireless coverage everywhere. Clear is another wireless internet provider expanding the limits of wireless internet.

Application Stores & Marketplaces: There Are A  Lot Of Apps For That

You cannot deny the convenience of applications stores on your mobile devices. That convenience is about to move past mobile devices and into mobile PCs.  Application stores are quickly become an industry trend. We have:

• Intel’s AppUp Center for netbooks
• Acer’s app store for Windows, Android, and Chrome OS.

I”m excited about these stores and look forward to digging into them in the future. I can see people quickly catching on to new apps and trends on the web if companies can keep their app stores up to date.

Mobile Web Optimization

You can blame streaming for the mobile broadband surge. If your site isn’t mobile web friendly version, then you need help. Your site needs to compatible with popular mobile devices. Here are the facts:

• Facebook’s mobile web usage tripled in 2009.
• The mobile internet market will be twice the size of the desktop internet in the near future.
• Have you read about the 34% spike of mobile web usage fueled by women, teens, and seniors alone?

You’re wasting a great opportunity if you’re not on this train. There are plenty of free and easy ways to accomplish mobile web optimization. Take a look at SheGeeks.net on your iPhone or maybe Chris Brogan’s iPhone app for better examples.

Stay Tuned!

Today’s rapidly adapting offerings of smartphones are empowering these mobile movements  by making GPS a near standard these days. Ford is doing the opposite as I noted earlier.  App markets are patiently waiting for companies to finally “get it” and for developers to make a switch.  But there’s still some issues to work out here. These tools are meeting the growing needs of everyone. It feels like we’re learning them, but really, they’re learning us. As we use them we find just how convenient they are to providing better service. You can’t lose. You just have to keep up, which is easy if you’re subscribing to SheGeeks and following me on Twitter.

What Is Google Voice

Google Voice is a great service that everyone with more than one phone number should use. It allows you to:

• Use one number for all of your phones
• Get voicemails automatically transcribed via email or sms
• Block unwanted callers
• Manage your calls and contacts

Typical phone offerings, but all of this can be done right from the web….for free! You can also choose which of your phones all calls should be directed to. Now your friends and contacts can stop calling 3 different numbers just to reach you. Most calls made through Google Voice for free and international calls are cheap.

As you can see, Google Voice has plenty of perks. If you don’t have an unlimited phone plan Google Voice can save you a ton of minutes. All you need to do is dial your Google Voice number, enter your password, press #2, and enter the number you want to call. This is very tedious and a process that the GV app would’ve solved all. Despite Apple’s destruction, Google found a worthwhile solution with their web app.

What’s New With Google Voice for iPhone

The latest update to the Google Voice web app can make calls through your Google Voice number from your iPhone. The Google Voice web app has been redesigned to look more like Gmail and Google Calendar in Safari. Aside from the new makeup, you can:

• Send SMS to friends
• Dial a number
• Playback voicemails

Yes, all of this can be done right inside your mobile web browser. The only serious downside is that you can’t access your phone’s contact list. Google Voice has a separate contact list you can manage and it’s stored in the cloud (or the internet).

Image Credit: TechCrunch

Access Google Voice Via iPhone

You can access Google Voice by heading to http://google.com/voice/m on your iPhone. GV will also be available for Palm Pre/ Pixi owners. The new version of the Google Voice web app is being rolled out today. So don’t panic if you can’t see the new features right now. They’re coming!

Motorola and Android: A Powerful Mobile Network

Previously, I noted Seesmic for Android as one of 24 reasons to buy a Droid. The Motorola Droid (Amazon Affiliate) stands out by itself. Time’s named it their Top Gadget Of 2009 and it’s stats are impressive:

• 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen (480×854 WVGA resolution)
• Google Voice App
• Facebook Contact Synchronization
• Voice Recognition
• Advanced Google Maps App
• 5 Megapixel Camera
• 16GB SD Card included

The Android Market has a great selection of starter apps, a growing developer community, and the Android OS is amazing. It’s easy to see why Droid gained 1.44% market share less than a month after launch. However, my favorite app about the Droid was Seesmic for Android.

Seesmic for Android Shines

As apart of Seesmic’s first venture into the mobile apps, Seesmic for Android packed a punch right out of the box. Uploading Youtube video’s via the app was a plus! A month after launching, Seesmic released an update that supported lists, twitter search, and trends. The update notifications on Android blew the iPhone’s push notifications out of the water. Bundled with Verizon, Seesmic for Android handled my mobile lifestyle like a veteran.

What’s Missing From Seesmic

Everything that glitters isn’t gold and Seesmic for Android is by no means perfect. I’m spoiled by Tweetie 2 which lets me start my timeline were I previously left off. Seesmic goes straight to what’s new, which is a hassle when trying to catch-up on older news or reread tweets after a restart. The app also doesn’t support multiple accounts. There’s no Seesmic widget for the homescreen, while Twidroid has two of them.

Why You Need To Have It

Seesmic is right up to par with other free twitter android apps. With an easy to navigate interface, advanced media sharing features, and trusted brand to back it, Seesmic is well on it’s way to success in the Android environment. Let’s hope they can continue their success with the impending release of their iPhone app and a few more tweaks to their Android App. Subscribe to SheGeeks to make sure you don’t miss the reviews!

Seesmic is wiggling itself out of a tight spot to become the number one Twitter client for everyone, not just early adopters. Not only does Seesmic have to compete with Tweetdeck’s desktop domination of 12.58% share of users (3.76% of folks on Twitter use Seesmic), but also against Tweetie’s 8.29% mobile domination. It’s an uphill battle that Seesmic’s new client, Seesmic Look, is already handling very well.

Seesmic Look

Aimed at mainstream Twitter users concerned with what’s trending, Seesmic Look gives you a TV Guide look with a tablet feel for diving into Twitter. With nice large fonts, and an emphasis on search and filtering, Seesmic Look is delicious eye candy of real-time information. You can sort tweets by time and name or play them in slideshow presentation style. All of Twitters new features including:

• Retweets (Automatic)
• Lists (Edit and delete options)
• Photosharing (Tweetphoto only)
• Link Shortening (TinyURL only)

New tweets indicators are sprinkled in just the right places. Spelling checking is a feature, but you can’t add new words. “Seesmic” doesn’t register as a correct word (suggests “seismic”). On a brighter side Seesmic Look does come with two themes: Dark and Light. This is obviously nothing compared to TweetDeck’s customization options.

Who Should Use Seesmic Look

According to Twitstat, Seesmic Look is already ranked as the 46th most popular Twitter client gaining just 0.19% share less than 5 hours after launching. But who are these users? Seesmic Look is aiming for mainstream and TechCrunch says Seesmic Look is for the Oprah Crowd. Yet, after a quick Twitter search for “Seesmic Look” I’m inclined to disagree about who’ll actually use it.

There seem to be more techies promoting the service for starters. Though Seesmic founder Loic LeMeur let Robert Scoble know in advance that power users might hate Look, I feel there are some benefits for power users in Look’s layout and filters. For example, over the next week I’ll be using Seesmic Look for monitoring my private Twitter lists. I find Twitter’s UI cumbersome for not only keeping up with my lists, but managing them.

Reading my lists in Seesmic Look is easier on my eyes. The design of Look is better suited for me to digest the information from my lists quickly. Look also puts important list management actions right at my finger tips. I have to do a bit of scrolling and too much clicking on Twitter’s site.

Seesmic Look Q&A

Check out Scoble’s post which includes reasons why Seesmic Look doesn’t add up. For those that have tried Seesmic Look, please share your thoughts on the following:

• Do you think Seesmic will take off with mainstream users?
• What uses can you find for Seesmic Look?
• Who can benefit the most from using Seesmic Look?
• Is this Twitter client really necessary?

I’m a huge fan of Drop.io, a real-time sharing, presentation, and collaboration service. Earlier this year, Drop.io released Conference.io, which offers more flexible features for sharing media with crowds. However, I use Drop.io more than not for sharing files with family and friends and for tech support in some cases. Because of this, I was excited to run across the Dropme.it Adode AIR app.

What Dropme.It AIR App Can Do

Dropme.it is really simple app: just drag and drop a file and have it automatically (and rather quickly) upload to the Drop.io service for sharing. Dropme will display the shortened URL for you to share with others after the upload is finished. You can cancel an upload in progress, queue multiple files at once, or even upload a folder to share.
       

A Beautiful AIR App

The Dropme.it AIR app has a clean, clutter free, and gorgeous interface. It doesn’t get any prettier than that. This means less time for you to spend worrying about the little stuff, and focusing on a beautiful app that does it all for you. It doesn’t take up a lot of space and most options for uploading images are nicely displayed in the app.
          

App Improvement Checklist

My only wish for Dropme.it is to display a little more information about my uploads and also store a backlog of them. Once you close the app, the shortened URLS are no longer available via the app. When file transfers get out of hand, users can benefit from a better way to manage them.

What if you accidently upload a file? A delete option in the app for mishaps would be nice. Heading to the url seems to be the only way to solve these problems for now. 
        

A Must Have Tool For Web Workers

All in all, I think Dropme.it is a great tool for any web worker, not just Drop.io users. If you’re looking for a quick way to share files with others, look no further than Drop.io. Be sure to add Dropme.it to your desktop tools for web working using Drop.io. You won’t regret it!

Last week I went out with a few friends to see Avatar 3D at the iMax. It was an amazing movie, aside from the 3D technology, that really captured the power of community. Not just the good ones, but the bad ones too. Most importantly, Avatar captures how to join a community simply by being seen.

Why You Need An Avatar On Twitter Right Now!

Would you speak to someone without a face? Of course not. So don’t expect others to talk to you if they can’t even identify who you are. It makes it easier to remember people when you have a face to go with that name. For some, it’s even easier to remember faces more than names.

Here’s what you need to do right now:

• Go to your Twitter Settings
• Upload your avatar
• Tweet about it!

Choosing An Avatar for Twitter

You should always add an avatar to the social profiles you create. Avatars are important for establishing your reputation in web communities. People need something they can I identify you with. For me, it’s my mohawk in my avatars. People are able to immediately spot me at conferences and the first thing they mention is my mohawk on Twitter versus my mohawk in person. To top it off, it matches my personality. The tone you get from my avatar is the same tone you get from me in person. Excited! Not to mention it flows with the tone of my tweets (@corvida).

Go through your photos and find one picture that really expresses what someone might see when they really look at you. Think about these questions on your quest:

• What’s your tone in person?
• How about your attitude?
• If they met you right how you act?

If you’re using social networks for business, people love seeing a photo of the real you with a little personality. If you’re a designer, your company’s logo would make a great avatar. Use a logo that showcases your companies skills and services within the design. If you’re avatar looks like spam (and your tweets), you might as well beat it kid.

I See You: Twitter Avatars, Avatar, and the Na’vi

Just as Jake Sully was an outsider to the Na’vi in Avatar because know one knew him, you will look like a virgin on Twitter without an avatar. Twitter avatars help to establish your reputation. Seeing your avatar next to great tweets helps build your credibility. They allow people to see you for YOU.

Twitter Avatar Checklist

• Make sure you stand out. My mohawk and baby face do the job.
• Make it consistent across most of your social profiles. I would hope you don’t have multiple personalities, so one picture should be enough.
• Use a photo specific to your community interests. See third paragraph of Choosing An Avatar For Twitter.

Need some inspiration a little more visual inspiration? Take a look at 100 extremely creative Twitter avatars. See you in the comments!

The Rundown:

1. It Works Right Out Of The Box
2. Beautiful OS Design
3. Verizon Network
4. Growing App Market
5. Google Maps Integration
6. Loud Speakers

Brownie Point: 16GB SD included

Price with Verizon: $200 (new contract)
Amazon: Too low to display on Amazon (affiliate link)

What’s The Big Deal About The Motorola Droid

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been in an intense obsession over the Motorola Droid. I received a review unit courtesy of Verizon Wireless in Atlanta and haven’t put the Droid down since. Considering all the hype it received over the holidays and the sheer brilliance of the Motorola Droid commercials, I couldn’t help being curious and some of my Twitter friends couldn’t hold their curiosity either. But why? Well here are the facts:

7.Droid gained 1.44% market share by November 11, 2009, or less than a month after it’s launch date of Oct.30.
8. Top Gadget Of 2009? DROOOOID
9. Google Voice Integration
10. Facebook Contact Synchronization
11. Speech Recognition
12. Seesmic Twitter App
13. Made by Google
14. Physical Keyboard
15. Megapixel Camera

The list is endless people. I put the Motorola Droid to the test last week at CES by using it as I would use my iPhone. I walked around as a proud Droid user and my iPhone stayed in my pocket the majority of the time thanks to a great number of apps for the Android platform including Foursquare.

What Can YOU Do?

I would use the Droid to:

16. Check into Foursquare like a junkie
17. Play Youtube videos
18. Send out Tweets with Seesmic for Android
19. Search for background info on companies right from the homescreen
20. Look up directions to parties
21. Check emails
22. Download a song that a friend had been searching for, for 3 years!
23. Make calls via my Google Voice account
24. Play music in my hotel room

I generally let it manage the bulk of my activities for the time being. I enjoyed being free of lugging my heavy Dell Studio 15 and exploring the showroom floors. Verizon’s network coverage was great the majority of the conference. I even had to switch from my iPhone to my Droid on a few calls, but did have issues every now and again. It begged the question of whether Verizon’s network could handle what AT&T is struggling pathetically with.

Sweet Droids Or A Beautiful Nightmare

The funny thing is, I experienced this same scenario last March when I spoke at SxSW using my iPhone 3G. As I prepare for another year of speaking and networking at SxSW10, I’m pressed to decided which phone would be the most beneficial to have. As a user of Google’s web services, the integration that Droid provides is leagues away from the iPhone. Google Maps on the Droid is the best thing since iPod connectors in cars. The Android platform really gives the iPhone a run for it’s money, at least until you talk to the Android developer community. But that’s another story for tomorrow.

The Droid isn’t perfect. The Android App Market is still growing, but no where near the numbers Apple is doing. The keyboard could really use a facelift or some botox (seriously). Exchange support is an extra $15 per month. Nokia still makes the best cameras and Google needs to pay attention. Battery life is sub-par (as always) and the OS is buggy. Taking a screen capture with the Droid requires a computer science degree. Here’s a look at how the Droid stacks up against the iPhone 3GS, Palm Pre, and MyTouch3G:

Image Credit: BillShrink

Answer This:

• What do you think is missing to really push the Motorola Droid above the iPhone?
• Would you consider trading in your phone for a Droid?
• Is the Verizon network a blessing or curse for the Droid?

Disclosure: I’m attending CES as a member of the press and as an Intel Insider courtesy of the great folks at Intel.

CES Day 1 Recap

For starters, the LVCC is a huge convention center. It seems to be 3-4x the size of SxSW. Due to it’s size, it made for a lot of confusion and not just for conference attendees. I was falsely directed to the wrong places numerous times by CES staff (unsurprisingly). Apparently, they knew just as much as everyone about the setup of the exhibitions.

The Core Of Innovation at CES

When I finally had a chance to explore the showroom floor, I was beyond disappointed. It seemed the only real innovative technology being demoed were Intel’s new lineup of Core processors. The Intel Core processors are amazing advances in computing and the demos around the Intel booth showcased the power and uses for these processors in a very innovative fashion especially with the Cube (video below).

Beyond that, I’d seen the showcases of laptops and mobile accessories. To be quite frank, I saw nothing that I hadn’t already heard about, or seen, before coming to CES. The 3D technology displayed in Sony games and Samsung’s TV’s was eye-catching, but nothing I haven’t seen before CES. I thought this is where innovative consumer technology was supposed to be demoed. Was I already ahead of my time before CES?

I’d like your help thinking otherwise. If you know, can you point me in the direction of the real innovation happening at CES?

CES is any gadget geek’s dream come true. Hundreds of showcases of the best and latest technologies coming from the biggest electronic makers in the world. Intel will be previewing some great things coming to a computer near you. I’m looking forward to all the eBooks that will be revealed and accessories for mobile devices. My family wants to hear about what they can expect to add to their entertainment centers. So, this will be a packed 4-day event of electronic heaven. Thank you Intel!

What I want to take from CES is an idea of where technology is headed this year. I hope to have a general idea of what technologies are hot going into 2010, why they’re so important, and what changes they’ll bring about for consumers. This will be my first year attending CES and I’m very excited about it! I’ll be armed with my Dell Studio 15 (courtesy of Intel), Creative Vado HD, iPhone 3G, MiFi, and Motorola Droid (review units courtesy of Verizon) to keep you updated on the latest surprises and treats. So, be sure to subscribe to SheGeeks and follow me on Twitter (@Corvida) for the latest on what’s in store at CES this year.

If you’re also attending CES, leave a comment on what you’re looking forward to at CES this year. Whether it’s an event or product, I’d love to hear what’s got your attention this year! Stay tuned everyone.

P.S. If you’re thinking of pitching me for CES, read this excellent post by Cathy Brooks on how to do so effectively: Dissed by Santa, So Suggesting Resolutions Instead. Trust me, you’ll save yourself a headache later ;)

Is HP Racist?

After watching the video, if you think HP seems racist you need to watch this video first: How To Tell People They Sound Racist by Jay Smooth (@JSmooth995)

I’m not calling HP anything, but this video will definitely shed some negative light on their company. Two employees at a store show a very serious problem with HP’s face-tracking feature in its webcams: it doesn’t recognize black people. To be more accurate, it’s not recognizing the guy in the video who happens to be black. However, it immediately recognizes a white lady and tracks her movements like a baby watching its mom. Will this apply to every dark-skinned person that tries out the feature? Who knows, but the evidence in the video points to an answer that will bother a lot of people.

Q&A

What would you do with a fatal flaw like this being shipped out to customers that are impacted by the flaw?

• How would YOU handle this situation from a PR standpoint?

• What would you do to prevent something like this from happening in the future?
• Can you look at this as an opportunity for HP? What do you see?

Looking forward to hearing your comments and tips!

You might have seen me tweet about an insane promotion going on by Blacksmith Games known as the Appvent Calendar. Every day for 24 days the Appvent Calendar has featured 24-hour giveaways of some amazing games. Some of my favorites include:

• Blimp
• 33rd Division
• Elf
• iBlast Moki

Today, Cabby has become the latest download to my iPhone’s springboard thanks to the Appvent Calendar. Want to get in on the fun? Here’s what you need to know.

Appvent Calendar Details

• Each game is available for free via Appventcalendar.com and the iTunes App Store for 24 hours!
• There’s a new game available every day.
• The giveaways end December 24th.

We’re currently on day 17, which means you have 7 days left of free iPhone App games to enjoy. So, head over to appventcalendar.com and check out some of the amazing apps they’re giving away. Don’t forget to share them with your friends for the holidays!

Bing for iPhone: The Look

Let’s just say Microsoft made no mistakes on getting the look and feel of their Bing app just right! Bing for iPhone is streamlined with the OSX look and feel of the iPhone, but with a touch of Microsoft including the noted daily image backgrounds from Bing.com. It’s a clean and simple app that saves the best for your results. Why didn’t Vista or Windows 7 look like this? This theme is sported all throughout the app and its menus.

Bing for iPhone: Maps & Business

Map and geo-location features in Bing are are slick, fast, and comparable to the native Maps app on the iPhone. The maps feature makes great use of the location feature in iPhones to quickly find where you are and get directions to where you want to be. Get directions by distance and time alongside traffic updates. Bing also sports a walking distance calculator, but doesn’t integrated with transit systems (at least not in Atlanta). Directions for routes can in two taps, just like the native app. Map loading times are fast on Wi-Fi and 3G coupled with some neat loading visual effects.

Business reviews are integrated into search results allowing you to easy rate, call, or be directed to a business from one place. The maps falls short in a few key areas which Jessica Dolcourt points out in her review on CNet:

The Bing app for iPhone still isn’t complete. As far as we can tell so far, it lacks some of the extras of other mobile Bing apps, like the capability to lay down pushpins on the map and save locations, and the capability to view multiple locations on the map. The absent features in the iPhone app indicate the direction of Microsoft’s plans for Bing’s growth on iPhone.

However, the press release Kara Swisher’s received noted otherwise:

A Bing PR email noted that key features of the app include a daily image from Bing.com; easy-to-access voice search; tips and tricks on the homepage; “Locate Me” functionality; and the ability to add pushpins, save locations and show multiple locations on a single map.

What’s really going on? Either way, I haven’t been able to use these features or find them in the app.

Bing for iPhone: Image Search

I have to say image search has been a highlight of this app for me since I’m addicted to looking at iPhone customizations. Bing provides a really nice and clean view of images with a simple transparent box of options for visiting the page the image is on and view the image in fullscreen. Swipe gestures are smooth and fluid making image search a great experience using Bing.

Bing for iPhone: More Options

Bing for iPhone does feature voice search, but I found it to be inaccurate the majority of the time. I had to clearly enunciate each and every word when using it, otherwise it would give me a common word closest to what it thought I said. I couldn’t talk the way I normally would. Visiting the settings menu will give you access to additional options such as:

• Safe Search
• Units (metric or imperial)
• Control screen rotation
• Clear search history

Keep It or Leave It?

Bing’s regular search results fall short of my desire for info on the go. Google has become more adept at delivering the results I want to the first page with very little keyword magic. Bing doesn’t come close. Nevertheless, I like the design and feel of Bing for the iPhone. With Maps and Image Search Bing delivers in full on a great and reliable search experience.

Would I make a switch from the native Maps and Google Mobile for the iPhone? Probably not. Bing’s just playing catch-up with this app, but it could help Microsoft boost search traffic in the near future. And of course, it’s free. Download Bing for the iPhone right now in the iTunes App Store.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of LG Chocolate Touch. All opinions are 100% mine.

I recently received a LG Chocolate Touch to test out its music capability and sound quality. In case you didn’t know, I’m a huge music fanatic. MTV Jams is playing in the background on the family TV while I write this post and I never leave the house without my headphones. While I love my iPhone and the N900 loaner from Nokia for my music needs, I was impressed with the way LG Chocolate Touch handled a few of my favorite new tunes.

I have over 8GBs of music on my computer and the Chocolate Touch was able to load about a gig’s worth of music thanks to the SD card slot. No headphones were supplied so I tested the speaker system first. Pre-loaded with Ciara’s new single and personal additions like Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3, the LG Chocolate Touch produced some great sound quality from the speakers alone. I jammed and sang along with my younger brother for about 6 or 7 songs. The speakers were loud and clear without drowning out our voices or the rest of the room.

Headphones & FM Tuning

After listening to Ciara’s new single, I switched to a personal pair of headphones only to be further impressed. The LG Chocolate Touch actually sounded better than my iPhone! The native music player was very easy to navigate as was managing my music from the phone. The built-in FM Tuner was a nice change of pace for me while riding public transit where I frequently run into signal dead zones. Pandora’s no use on the train, but the LG Chocolate Touch’s built-in FM tuner worked without a hitch!

More Features

With a beautiful 3-inch display, 3.2MP camera with flash, and a nice compact size, carrying the LG Chocolate Touch was a refreshing change from my bulkier loves the iPhone and N900. This phone also features classic integrations with Twitter and Facebook through SMS. It was very surprised by this old school move, but something’s better than nothing.

The Verdict

All in all, the LG Chocolate Touch is the perfect gadget gift for any tech savvy family member who doesn’t need a ton of bells and whistles. It’s also great for younger siblings. Mine will definitely be enjoying this gift a little more come Christmas morning. What about you?

That’s right, Google Chrome Extensions have arrived! As an avid supporter of the Google Chrome browser (ex-Firefox user), I was stoked to start trying out the new extensions. Previously, I had a ton of bookmarks that provided the same functionality and they’re all gone now thanks to extensions coming to Chrome. Think of your Firefox add-ons only with easier installation and without restarting your browser. Without further ado, here are over 20 of the most amazing Google Chrome extensions that every web worker should have!

Social Media Extensions For Google Chrome

Chromed Bird – Keep you with your Twitter stream from your toolbar in Chrome (Must be logged into your Twitter account)

Brizzly – Update Twitter & Facebook with links, pics, videos, and more.

Bit.ly – Shorten, share, and track your links from Chrome

Facebook Notifications – Keeps you updated on your latest Facebook notifications. (Must be logged into your Facebook account)

Facebook for Google Chrome – Read the latest in your news feed and wall on the fly. Also supports updating your Facebook status.

Chrome.FM – Listen to your favorite Last.fm stations while you get work done.

RSS Extensions For Google Chrome

Feedly – Reading your favorite blogs has never been so deliciously fast and feature-packed!

Google Reader Notifier – Keep up with the latest updates to your favorite blogs with a glance. Also supports an overview of the latest updates from your subscriptions.

RSS Subscription Extension – Subscribe to new blogs with just one click

Social Sharing Extensions For Google Chrome

StumbleUpon Toolbar – Stumbling your favorite content comes to Google Chrome

Shareaholic – Share, save, or email your favorite content with over 80 services!

Evernote Web Clipper – Clip your favorite pages…then move on

Diigo Bookmarks – Bookmark your favorite content to Diigo in 2 clicks

Chromium Delicious Plugin – Bookmark this post for later    ;)

ChromeIRL – When you don’t have time, Read it Later.

Screenshot & Image Editors For Google Chrome

Avairy Screen Capture – Capture a screenshot and edit it right inside of Chrome

Picnik Web Editor – Capture and edit images right inside of Chrome

Google Power Pack For Google Chrome

Gmail Checker – How many unread emails do you have? This extension will let you know.

Google Wave Notifier – Keep up with updates on your Waves

Google Calendar – Quickly see when your next meeting is approaching

Meeting Scheduler for Google Calendar – Team up with ScheduleOne for free and schedule meetings on the fly

Google Tasks – Add any tasks on the fly

Google Voice Notifier – You have….2 unread messages.

 
As rude as this solution might be, it gets the job done…fast! To be honest, no one will even notice your rudeness if you do everything right. So, just how are you supposed to ditch a Twitter list that you didn’t even create? The same way magicians make cards appear out of thin air: magic. Before I give you the trick, you need to understand why you would want to remove yourself from a Twitter list?

Why I Don’t Want To Be In Your Twitter Lists

While Twitter lists are great for getting a community consensus on your area of expertise, that’s also the downside if you’re an @$$ to people. Here’s a few lists you might not want to be on:

• Social Media douchebags
• Douchebags
• @$$holes
• Social Media Snobs
• Spammers
• Mobile Brats

Maybe you don’t like the person nor the name of the list they put you in. Maybe you don’t like the people on the list. I think you get the picture. When fans, friends, colleagues, and clients browse your lists, you definitely don’t want to them to see your name pop up on a bad list. It’s a surefire way discourage people from getting to know you.

Now You See Me, Now You Don’t

So, let’s get around it using Keith Dsouza’s Twitter List solution:

If you block a user and then unblock them, you will not show up on their list anymore.

To block someone, head to their Twitter profile. In the sidebar under “Actions” will be an option to block the person. In the same spot should also be the option to unblock the person. Didn’t think it was that simple did you?