Google Storage for Developers is a new cloud based storage service that is currently open to a limited number of developers in the US. With Google Storage, Google is now a direct competitor to Amazon’s family of Cloud based web solutions, such as Amazon S3 and Amazon CloudFront. Well I just received my invite for Google Storage for Developers and my first order of business was too test Google Storage’s speed vs Amazon’s S3 speed and my VPS’s speed (added Amazon CloudFront Speeds).

I have been using Amazon’s S3 and CloudFront service to serve static image files for the past 6 months and have been very happy with their speed and reliability. I also recently switch from a shared web hosting solution to an unmanaged VPS hosting service and wanted to see if my LAMP VPS server would be faster than Amazon S3.

I chose 3 images with varying sizes, 1 small (4.83k .png), 1 medium ( 389k .jpg) and 1 large (5.65mb .jpg) and loaded them up multiple times (no cache). Here are the speeds I ended up with. Note these test results are meant to be taken with a grain of salt. This is just an example of the speeds you will find with these types of services.

All speeds are averages.

The clear winners in the test were Google Storage For Developers and Amazon CloudFront, with my LAMP VPS in a distant fourth. Amazon S3 actually performed better then Google Storage with the large image file, but was slower then Google Storage in the small and medium size image test. One aspect of the test that I found very interesting is that my LAMP VPS was very consistent in it’s speeds where Google Storage, Amazon S3, and CloudFront were not. Nevertheless, this test does show that geography is a very important factor when serving image files on the web.

So what does this all prove? Something, but not everything. It does show that serving images from the cloud is a better solution then your LAMP VPS and also shows Amazon CloudFront is faster then Amazon S3 (to be expected). Perhaps a LEMP VPS would perform better, but that still does not address the problem with geography. I will be sticking with Amazon S3 and CloudFront for now, but may move to Google Storage in the future. If you are interested in trying out Amazon’s Cloud based services you can follow the link below. As of right now you will need to request an invite before trying Google Storage For Developers.

Google Storage For Developers
Amazon Web Services

Feel free to share any test you have done yourself if the comments section below.

Technorati Tags: amazon s3, google storage, google storage for developers, vps vs amazon s3, amazon s3 vs google storage, amazon s3 speed test, google storage speed test, vps speed test, amazon cloudfront, cloudfront vs google storage

It’s time for some more gaming laptop reviews. It’s been 6 months since the last set of reviews and I must say I am impressed with the options available right now. 6 months ago in January, it was hard to come up with a list of good deals. This was in part because of the holiday season ending and a lack of new mobile graphics cards being released around that time. Luckily, ATI has released some great new cards that have created better competition with Nvidia’s aging recycled releases.

The baseline price starts off at $850 $680 for the budget recommendations below. I always strive to come up with a sub $800 recommendation, but if the performance can’t match the price, I simply can’t justify the review. The top end price is $1400, but is a definite extreme gaming notebook in a class of its own.

Disclaimer: The State of Affairs received no direct compensation for writing this article and is in no way directly affiliated with Gateway, Toshiba, ASUS, MSI or Newegg.com.

Technorati Tags: best gaming, gaming, laptop, notebook, gaming notebook, 2010, best 2010, best laptop 2010, best gaming notebook 2010, laptop computer, laptop for gaming, gaming notebook review, laptop for under, under 1000, affordable gaming notebook, notebook for price, cheap gaming laptop

Google has made yet another big announcement this week with the release of Google SSL Search Beta. This addition to Google’s lineup makes a big step forward in enhancing privacy while searching for content on the web.

Right now, if you are searching on Yahoo or the standard Google web search, your search terms are not encrypted. This means, if a hacker had access to the network you are using (your home or local coffee shop for example) they would be able to see, in plain text, what you were searching for.

Google SSL Search Beta takes the next step and encrypts the search data, so hackers won’t have access to it.

Think of SSL encryption as this. If I was sending you a message in mores code, I would send you a series of short and long beeps. If I used SSL encryption, my message would be rearranged and jumbled to a point where nobody would be able to understand it, except you and me.

How to use Google SSL Beta as the default search in Google Chrome

The first thing you may want to do is ensure all of your searches are made using Google SSL Search in Google Chrome. To do this we will create a new search engine in Chrome and set it as our default.

1. In chrome, click the wrench icon in the upper right corner and look for the Options selection.



2. In the new window that opens, look towards the bottom for Default Search and click on the Manage button



3. Next you will see a screen that shows all of your available search engines. Some of these are from sites you have visited in the past.
   Off to the right, click Add…



4. The first option is name and can be anything you would like to call it, the second option is keyword and can also be anything you would like, as long as it is unique from your other search engines, and the third text area is URL which should be copied from below. Here is what I used

Name: Google SSH

Keyword: google

URL: https://www.google.com/search?{google:RLZ}{google:acceptedSuggestion}{google:originalQueryForSuggestion}sourceid=chrome&ie={inputEncoding}&q=%s


5. After clicking Ok to confirm your new search engine, select it from your list and click the button on the right called Make Default



6. Done!

Now all of your search’s in Google Chrome will be secured with 128bit encryption. There are a couple of caveats right now with Google SSL Beta. First off, SSL can reduce load times, but should be marginal as Google is so fast already and secondly, only your standard web queries will be encrypted at the moment. If the future Google image search and news, for example, will also have the option to be encrypted.

Hence the beta tag.

For more info on Google’s SSL Search, check out the SSL search help page.

Technorati Tags: google, google chrome, chrome search, google ssl, google ssl search, ssl search beta, google ssl search beta, google beta, default search chrome, default search, chrome tutorial, chrome search tutorial, how to

The science of sleep is a fascinating subject that obviously, we can all relate too. Why do we wake up feeling exhausted sometimes and completely rested other times, regardless of how long we sleep? Do we transition from each sleep cycle seamlessly or do we waver from different “levels” of sleep during the night? These are the questions that I had and they are what lead me too this amazingly cool and scientifically fascinating device called the WakeMate.

What The WakeMate Is And What It Isn’t

In the most basic sense, the WakeMate is a alarm clock, but more precisely, it’s a alarm clock that learns your sleep patterns and intelligently chooses when to wake you. While you sleep, the WakeMate monitors you movement through a sensor that attaches to wrist. This method is known as actigraphy and has been used by doctors and scientist for many years in the study of analyzing sleep.

Here are the basic steps in using the WakeMate

1. Slide the WakeMate around your wrist (like a wrist band)
2. Set the WakeMake alarm clock application on your smart phone
3. Sleep!

The WakeMate will then analyze you sleep pattern and will wake you at the optimal time during your 20 minute “wake up time” window. The fact is we don’t fall asleep and stay asleep at the same depth during the entire night, in fact there are many points during the night when we are sort of half-asleep. What the WakeMate does is trigger your alarm during one of those half-awake moments, thereby saving you from being woken during the deepest parts of your 20 minute wake up window.

Very cool indeed.

I don’t personally own one, so I can not speak from a user standpoint, but the science behind the process of using a actigraph is very sound. Traditionally you would go to a doctor who would then provide you with a actigraph unit to take home. After gathering some data at home, you would take the unit back to the doctor who would then analyze the data and give you more insight into your sleep patters. That same data can now be complied at home, without needing a doctors assistance.

Now, the WakeMate does not provide the same amount of information that a polysomnogram would. Polysomnography monitors many parts of the body while you sleep such as your brain waves, rapid eye movement, and heart rhythm. It’s a very involved and complex test that is usually used for patients with specific sleep disorders. A actigraph is a much more realistic means of monitoring our sleep cycle and circadian rhythm’s personally, yet effectively.

The WakeMate is only available for pre-order right now, but it should be shipping by September later this year according to their website. If you’re looking to get a better nights sleep and have something really interesting to talk about at work, check out the WakeMate website for more info.

Technorati Tags: wakemate, analyze sleep, analyze sleep patterns, analyze sleep cycles, actigraphy, how-to, sleep test, sleep research, sleep stages, sleep cycles, sleep solutions, sleeping better, restful sleep

Disclaimer: The State of Affairs received no direct compensation for writing this article and is in no way directly affiliated with the creators of the WakeMate, we simply thought it was a cool idea. Also, we are not doctors and don’t pretend to be, so if you feel you have a serious sleep condition, consult your physician.

Yahoo’s new ad is bright, ear catching, and filled with positive thoughts. The one thing it isn’t though, is realistic. In the new ad, Yahoo states that their homepage is all about you. It’s your sports, your news, and your entertainment all rolled into one!

Disclaimer: I admit, before writing this, I had not used Yahoo’s Search in over 5 years. Therefore to be fair, I signed up for a Yahoo username to “experience” the new Yahoo of today.

After signing up, here is the Yahoo homepage I was greeted with. This is a random page and the first one that loaded for me. It’s an example only.

Wow, I have to look at all of this just to search for bread recipes?

Not only is this information completely unnecessary for my goal of finding bread recipes, it’s actually the complete opposite of what Yahoo claims to be in their new ad.

We will start with exhibit A and only focus on Yahoo’s and Google’s Search homepage.

What really separates Yahoo’s Search Page and Google’s Search page apart is their focus. Yahoo tries to make a simple search a “experience”, while Google makes it a simple search. Attempting to appeal to every person in this world with one handful of random popular topics is actually counter productive. In the end Yahoo’s attempt at mass appeal ends up being, mass disillusionment.

Here is the ad from Yahoo. To me the ad is a absolute hypocrisy, but as always, think for yourself and if you wish, post your thoughts in the comment section below.

Technorati Tags: google, yahoo, yahoo ad google, yahoo ad, yahoo against google, yahoo search, google seach

Glenn Greedwald previously was a constitutional law attorney in the US, he now spends his time as an author and a full-time blogger on Salon.com. If you’re looking for a sober, concise, and rational approach to today’s issues, such as terrorism and the health care debacle, you need look no further then Glenn’s writings on Salon.com.

I have read Glenn’s writings on Salon.com for about 4 months now and must say he is probably one of the most logical and intelligent thinkers on the internet . He’s currently doing a speaking tour and has been on The Rachel Maddow Show, Democracynow, and Dylan Ratigan’s show. I highly recommend checking out these videos as well as Glenn’s writings on Salon.com.

Glenn Greedwald on The Rachel Maddow Show

Glenn Greedwald on Democracynow

Glenn Greedwald on Dylan Ratigan’s show

Glenn Greedwald on MSNBC’s Morning Joe

Technorati Tags: glenn greenwald, glenn greenwald videos, glenn greenwald interview, democracynow, glenn salon.com, salon.com, health care, glenn greenwald blog, video, news, congress

About

This plugin allows the <video> and <source> elements to be posted in your bbPress forum. This makes it quick and easy for forum members to add videos to their posts.

Here is the list of allowed tags and allowed attributes.

<video>

• src
• type
• autoplay
• poster
• controls
• width
• height

<source>

• -src
• -type
• -media

Installation

1. Add the `allow-html5-video.php` file to bbPress’ `my-plugins/` directory.
2. Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in bbPress.

*Make sure you have set up your webhost to allow the correct MIME types for OGG and OGV files.

MIME Type: video/ogg
Extension(s): ogv ogg ogm

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some example embed codes?

Example #1 (Works in most modern browsers)

<video src="test-video.ogv" controls>
Your browser does not support the <code>video</code> element.
</video>

Example #2 (Should Work in all modern browsers)

<video controls>
<source src="test-video.ogg" type="video/ogg">
<source src="test-video.mp4">
Your browser does not support the <code>video</code> element.
</video>

What codecs are recommended?

Theora for .ogg and .ogv
.h264 for .mp4

Does it work with other video plugins?

Yes, it works with other video plugins (bbvideo and others).

Compatibility

Tested up to: 1.0.2
Requires at least: 0.8.4

Changelog

- 0.9 -
*initial release

Download Allow HTML5 Video

Allow HTML5 Video is based off of mdawaffe’s and qayqay12′s Allow Images plugin.

Technorati Tags: html5, bbpress plugin, bbpress plugins, allow video bbpress, bbpress video, bbpress download, html5 video, html5 source, bbpress forum plugin, forum plugin

See also: Best Gaming Laptop for the Money (June 2010)

At last, there are finally some good recommendations for gaming laptops in 2010. I have attempted to come up with a list of gaming laptops for over two months now, but with the holiday prices bouncing around faster than an electron in a super collider, I just couldn’t recommend any solid deals.

Now that the market has finally calmed down, there are some pretty great laptops in the reasonable price range of $750 to $1000 dollars. I attempted to find a recommendation below $750 dollars, but the gaming performance of the laptops in that price range simply can’t compare to the laptops below, even for a casual gamer. If you are looking for a laptop over the $1000 price range, I would recommend pricing out a custom laptop through a company similar too Alienware.

The first two recommendations are great budget laptops that are each powered by a ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 1GB card. The third is powered by a very fast NVIDIA GTX 260M 1gb card.

Disclaimer: The State of Affairs received no direct compensation for writing this articles and is in no way directly affiliated with Gateway, HP, ASUS or Newegg.com.

Technorati Tags: best gaming, gaming, laptop, notebook, gaming notebook, 2010, best 2010, best laptop 2010, best gaming notebook 2010, laptop computer, laptop for gaming, gaming notebook review, laptop for under, under 1000, affordable gaming notebook, notebook for price, cheap gaming laptop

The new Google Nexus One is all the buzz on the web. As of now the Nexus One is available for $529 unlocked or $179 with T-Mobile USA service plan (NEW customers only). One hitch now on the T-Mobile US plan is the fact that, you can not get your T-Mobile phone upgrade price on the Google Nexus One if you are on a family plan.

Many T-Mobile users are already digging up the scoop on this one though. According to many discussions around the web, the trick to getting the discounted price on the Nexus One is to pull your number from your family plan and move it to an individual plan.

This is where everyone one has said what? “It’s $10 month for the extra line on my family plan, if I move to an individual plan that is $50 a month more!”. Correct, but the trick is apparently after 120 days, you can move your individual line back to your family plan. I say apparently as T-Mobile customer service is giving different customers, different answers on this one.

Basically, you have three choices now:

• One, buy the phone for $529 for your family plan
• Two, move to a individual plan and pay around $380 ($179 for the discounted phone price + $200 extra for 4 months at the individual plan price)
• Three, stick with the phone you got and wait for a better option on the price of the phone and the service plan restrictions.

I do recommend calling T-Mobile directly and confirming the above options before ordering. Try and get them to “leak” the truth about when you can switch your particular line back to your family plan. Also the new line will need to be placed under a different name as the $179 price is for new customers only.

I won’t be buying a Google Nexus One as of now, but I may soon, as I’m a Verizon Wireless customer. According to Matt Cutts, this spring the Nexus One will be coming to Verizon Wireless.

Did you get a Google Nexus One? If you did, leave a review below, if you didn’t, leave a comment about why you aren’t buying one!

**********************

Update I:
After looking at some prices for other unlocked smart phones online, it looks like the $529 regular price is on the upper end, but is still well within the reasonable price range.

Technorati Tags: google nexus one, nexus one, google nexus, nexus one tmobile, nexus one t-mobile, google tmobile, tmobile family nexus one, tmobile family plan nexus, family plan nexus one, family plan google nexus, nexus one price, individual nexus one, nexus one 120 days, google nexus discount, nexus discount

As we near the end of 2009, now is the time to look back and reflect on our culture and how our culture has evolved over the past 350 something days. Current Tv’s InfoMania released this video to showcase all of the best-est and worst-est moments over the last year.

A few highlight of the video:

• Sergio’s Top 5 Music picks of the week, this time though, he covers the top 5 songs on ITunes in 2009 and explains to his father what Lady Gaga really means by her “pa pa pa pa poker face”
• Another great segment is Sarah Haskins review some of the best products of 2009. Plus you’ll learn why butts are stupid.

Enjoy and have a good holiday, see ya on the other side!

Technorati Tags: 2009, music, news, video, website, current tv, current tv retrospectacular, current, infomania, retrospective, sergios top picks