SEO in The Desert

By Richard V. Burckhardt

OK, had a chance to play with the Roku XD/S player, the Boxee client software and the LG BD590 Blu-ray Disc player with Netcast net apps for quite a while and here are some observations about my Internet TV viewing experiences with all three.

Roku XD/S

The Roku XDS Streaming Playeris the current top of the line Roku box and includes 1080 HD, enhanced remote, wireless, component video and a USB port for playing media. It’s a tiny, hardly noticeable box that is easy to hook up and use.

The remote is as simple as it gets – extremely small with very few buttons.

As with most streaming options these days, Netflix is among the first and foremost on the list of available services.

When you open the Netflix app, you are presented with your Watch Instantly queue. You also have the option to search the Netflix library, but it is a painful process with the tiny remote and on-screen keyboard, not QWERTY, but an alphabet to click on. Agony! Better to pull out the PC and make choices from there. read more »

By Michael Cash

A blog is a great way for you to express yourself; writing about anything you want and seeing it published the minute you finish. If you wish to start a blog, or are having trouble getting into the “blogging spirit,” I have some suggestions of blogging essentials sure to put you on the path to blogging greatness.

The first and most obvious blogging essential, is a laptop computer. NOT a desktop, as a laptop can be used while you lounge on your couch or recliner; perfect blogging comes from a place of comfort, not a static immovable desktop station. Ensure that your laptop has wireless capability, as it is a huge pain in the buttock to constantly connect your laptop to a landline every time you wish to update your blog. If you do not have wireless internet service, get it. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did and can take pride that you have finally joined the 21st century. read more »

By Wayne Barker

I know we are only at the start of December but 2011 is looming and if this month passes as fast as the previous 11 it will be on us before we realise. On reflection 2010 has been a pretty big year for Google – we have had Caffeine and the May Day update, changes to local search and Google Page Previews…and if you try and stay up to date with all the tweaks to Google Maps, Earth, Gmail, YouTube and the million other Google products, I tip my hat.

So what is going to be big for SEO in 2011? In my opinion two of the biggest changes that have occurred this year were the changes to Google Places and the Google Page Previews. If you are unaware of what these are then I suggest you continue to read. If you are already familiar with the changes you need to make sure you are one step ahead of the crowd and get your thinking caps on. read more »

By Richard V. Burckhardt

I remember when The Sci-Fi Channel was announced in 1991. I was in geek heaven at the thought of a channel devoted completely to science fiction. My excitement was dashed somewhat when I was informed that the local cable company in Houston, where I lived at the time, wasn’t going to pick it up when it launched.

I’m stubborn and decided that I would find a way to get my sci-fi fix, regardless of the idiots at the cable company. At that time, the only satellite service available was through a huge 10-foot dish, which I purchased and installed in my backyard where neighbors wouldn’t complain. I locked into the channel weeks before it launched when they just had some weird graphics displaying and no programming.

One of the things I absolutely loved about the satellite TV service at the time was the ability to buy channels a la carte. I bought a basic package and could add individual channels as I desired. It was fantastic, not like the garbage I pay a fortune for in bulk these days in a cable package with no options and 90% channels that I have no interest in. But, this rant is for another post.

When The Sci-Fi Channel launched, I was in absolute ecstasy. The channel lineup was mostly classic shows like Lost in Space, Dark Shadows, Dr. Who and the original Battlestar Galactica, along with old movies in the sci-fi and horror genres, but it absolutely filled the bill for this sci-fi geek. read more »

By Richard V. Burckhardt

This post is more of an observation than a review. After reading Danny Sullivan’s post How To Give Your Old iPhone To Your Kids, Cheaply, which explains how you can use AT&T prepaid SIMs in your old iPhone, I decided to give it a shot with my old original iPhone, which I keep around for a backup in case my iPhone 3GS bites the dust. I could always pop the SIM back into the old iPhone.

To be honest, I am researching ways the I might be able to use my old iPhones. I love the “i” part of the iPhone, but with the “Phone” part, the service has been extremely spotty. For example, my partner has liver cancer and we have spent a lot of time in medical offices and hospitals over the past two years, here in the Palm Springs area, Dallas, Los Angeles and in San Diego. A common occurrence in all of these buildings has been low to zero signal on my iPhone, yet other folks walk past me left and right talking on their cell phones!

Argh! I’m paying for a cellular plan PLUS $30 a month on top of that for a data plan for this? read more »