Taking it to the streets with Locals Only: Phoenix

February 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Jenn B and Jenn M at the kickoff show

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of being the first guest on the first episode of a new live, local, interactive web show called Locals Only: Phoenix. Jennifer Maggiore and Jenn Burgess (“The Jenns”) host the show every Sunday at 5:00pm at a different location around town. They stream it out and take questions and input from the audience.  The did a fantastic job of keeping things rolling along, interacting with everyone, and popping out valuable info and tidbits.

I was talking about the stuff I’m usually rambling about: Ignite Phoenix, ImprovAZ, communities, passion, and the many uses for a really thick dictionary.  They had a bottle of wine ready to go, and any show where you can imbibe while pontificating is a plus on my scorecard. It was also my first trip down to the Phoenix Public Market, which I really enjoyed and plan to visit again soon. Sadly, the first episode suffered a technical issue and wasn’t recorded.  It is now lost to the ages like some of the early Beatles TV appearances, which makes one more trait I share with John Lennon, I guess. But The Jenns have promised to have me on again so I’d stop crying.

I love the fact that they’re building this whole show using just online tools, and showcasing the great people and events going on in the Valley of the Sun. So follow them on Twitter, tune in to their UStream channel on a Sunday evening, and help spread the word.

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Quest for Power: iPhone charging device for SXSW

February 9, 2010 By 4 Comments
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{{de|1=Micro USB Ladekabel für Mobiltelefone}}

Image via Wikipedia

I’m headed to South By Southwest this March, and one thing I learned last year was to be prepared for mass amounts of personal device power consumption. Not that AT&T is likely to have their towers actually serving up a usable signal when the hordes descend upon Austin, but it is conceivable I may find some wifi.  Thus I wanted to do some research on a device to take with to keep my electrons topped off.

My main use is a charger for my iPhone, but USB charging has some appeal. I was very impressed with the Tekken myPower that Steve Paine used last year. It is bulkier than the other options, but can charge a much wider range of devices. It’s also interesting to try and quickly compare these things, as some measure in terms of extra talk time, while others talk in terms of number of full recharges to a typical device.  I am sure I could dig into the tech specs around mAh to sort it out, but that’s more than the consumer-level review I wanted to make.

The chargers I looked at seemed to fall into three general categories: iPhone only, USB devices, and Full Batteries.  The USB device chargers work for a wider range of devices like Pre’s and Kindles, while the Full Batteries (like Tekkeon) charge laptops, netbooks, cameras, etc.  One sad discovery is that apparently Apple is not licensing its MagSafe technology connector for newer Macbooks, so I didn’t see any options at all for battery charging there. They should still work well for my camera, netbook, etc.

I’m not trying to build a comprehensive guide, but here is the list of device suggestions I received on Twitter. If I got anything wrong below, you can fill in any blanks, or there is a different option not listed here please let me know.

Device Price Devices Charge Given to iPhone Pros Cons
Monoprice
iPhone Backup External Battery		 $12 iPhone battery Charged iPhone 2.5 times Highly suggested by multiple people; inexpensive iPhone/iPod only; blocks iPod
headphone jack when in use
Griffin
PowerDue Reserve		 $60 iPhone battery; USB charger ? Charges iPhone and USB devices; built in device charger with AC or Car Blocks iPod headphone jack
ZAGGsparq $99 USB battery and charger Charges iPhone 4 times Charges multiple devices; USB and iPhone Requires USB cable to charge iPhone
Tekkeon myPower ALL
MP3450		 $110 Up to full laptop charging; USB charging 14 hours (assuming PDA) Charges iPhone, USB, laptop;
lots of power; includes retractable USB cable		 Size (7″ long) and weight (15oz)
Richard
Solo Backup Battery		 $40 iPhone battery Charges iPhone ~ 2 times Charges both battery and phone;
USB plug in socket		 iPhone only
Incase
Power Slider		 $99 iPhone battery 5 hours talk time; 5 hours
3G/Wifi		 Doubles as case; works as
extended battery		 Less total charge than some
others
Mophie
Juice Pack		 $99 iPhone battery 5 hours talk time; 5 hours
3G/Wifi		 Doubles as case; works as
extended battery; can charge both at same time		 Less total charge than some
others
iGo
Charge Anywhere		 $49 USB battery and charger Charge iPhone ~ 2 times Charge multiple devices; works
globally without adapter; free connector tip to tailor to your device		 Requires USB cable to charge iPhone

I haven’t made a decision yet, but will post again when I sort it out. And by way of disclaimer, I work at Sitewire, which does work for iGo, but I’m after the best bang for the buck so am looking at them all levelly.

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The power between the notes

February 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Image of a Bösendorfer piano, taken in the Gut...

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I am not a person who has regrets, but one of the few things I wish I had done differently was learn to play a musical intrument as a child.  I could still do it, I know, but my life is so slammed with stuff going on I don’t know where I’d work it in. Which is sort of my point here.

As a result of not learning to play and instrument, I have very little understanding of music at any deep level. Yet I’m curious about nearly every damned thing on the planet, so on my morning commute several years ago I was listening intently to a radio show talking about the way we perceive music and the structure of songs. At one point the speaker, whose name I’ve long forgotten, made the statement that it wasn’t the notes that made the shape of a song, but the silence between them.

The silence makes the song.

It is a simple thing, and probably self-evident to any student of music, but was such an epiphany for me that I almost rear-ended the car in front of me. For all the power and beauty of the notes, without the space between them – without the moments of quiet – the song itself had no shape. Silence takes a wild crash of cacophonous sound and creates the structure. It makes the order out of chaos.

We fill out lives with tasks, duties, deliverables, projects, people, and goals. Yet without the moments of silence there is no shape to it. It becomes a rush, a blur. An endless motion without form. The moments of silence in our life where we reflect, breathe, and do something quiet and personal are often the first things we sacrifice when things become hectic, but they should not be compromised. Without them, you’re simply making noise.

Rest.

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