From the Inside Out

The one remaining bastion of solace from the far reaching arm of the Internet is about to fall. One of the things I enjoy about flying is that it forces you to disconnect for a few hours. Sure, you can still get work done, but you aren’t getting flooded with new emails or IMs while you are working.

All of that is about to change next year. Delta plans to launch a broadband service across its entire domestic fleet. This will open up WiFi capabilities to all passengers. They will be able to use Wi-Fi enabled devices, such as laptops, smartphones and PDAs to surf the Web, check e-mail, Instant Message and access their corporate VPN. Luckily, Delta does not plan to enable voice capabilities — for now. Of course, once Internet is available I find it hard to believe that voice won’t be following soon after. Moreover, Delta is not the only airline carrier planning to offer WiFi service. American Airlines has already tested the service on some of its Boeing aircraft. Southwest Airlines, Jet Blue and Alaska Airlines are also expected to trial similar services soon.

I’m conflicted about this decision. On one hand, I see the value of being able to surf the Web and be productive while you are stuck in a plane for hours. However, there’s a part of me that mourns the loss of the only place I don’t feel guilty about not being connected. On a flight, I can turn off WiFi and be free from the bondage of technology (and work). I don’t have to check my mobile device every few minutes for the next email or text. It’s a nice place, a simpler place, a haven — if only for a few hours.

Some call the inclusion of WiFi on planes “progress”; others call it productivity. I’m not sure what label to give it. Technology is wonderful. It has made my life easier in some ways, but it has also complicated many other aspects of it. This “always on, always available” technology makes it more difficult to strike a good work/life balance. In the past, work didn’t follow you home (or on a plane). Now, it follows you everywhere. Companies love it because it makes employees more productive, but the personal costs can be high.

I’m sure recreational travelers will welcome the addition of WiFi. For these travelers, it will help minimize the boredom they experience on long flights. Many business travelers will rejoice also. I see the advantages, and I’m sure I’ll use the service when it’s available. Who knows, I may be happy to be more productive while I’m in the air. Maybe it will mean that I won’t have to work quite as late when I reach my destination — that’s always a good thing.

WiFi might be a blessing in the long run, but then again it could also be a curse. Even worse, it could be the precursor to enabling voice in the cabin. Just imagine…150 people using their cell phones in flight…lovely.

I’m currently interviewing candidates for a social networking position and during an interview today, I learned about Qik. For those of you who are bloggers, it’s certainly something you should check out. Qik is a software application that lets you stream videos directly from your mobile phone to the Web. You can stream events in real-time and hold live chat sessions during the event. You can also use it to stream your own video blog. Moreover, you can do it anytime, anywhere by simply using a mobile phone. It is really cool.

All of the videos are automatically recorded so you can embed them in your blog for playback at a later time. You can set streams as public or private. You can even stream to Twitter.

Currently, Qik supports video streaming on Nokia S60 phones: N71, N73, N75, N76, N77, N80, N82, N91, N92, N93i, N95, E50, E51, E61i, E65, E70m E90 Communicator, 3250, 5500, 5700 Xpress Music, 6110 Navigator, 6120 Classic, 6121 Classic, and 6290.

I’ve been playing around with it at home tonight, and I love it! I can’t wait to stream a live event. If I’m not too busy, I may try to stream some of the happenings at the Pirates of Patmos rehearsal tomorrow night at 7:30. If you’re around, you can check out my Qik page and catch some of the fun. The page is empty now, but once I start streaming, you will see the live video.

I feel like a kid in a candy store. I can’t wait to try out my new blogging toy. Hmm…I could even stream our church services live just using my phone. There are just so many neat ways to use it — conferences, events, family moments, One Life — you name it. Streaming rocks!

So, you’re driving down the road minding your own business when all of a sudden you see it. An unmarked police car sits on the side of the road waiting for an unsuspecting speeder to pass. If you’re lucky, you can slam on the brakes fast enough to avoid getting caught, but for many, it’s simply time for another ticket.

What if you could be alerted to speed traps before you hit them? Well, there’s a free Web community that attempts to offer this service to people. It’s called Trapster.

Trapster provides a forum where people can report speed traps and red light cameras by pressing a button on their phone or calling a toll free number. When a trap is reported, others are alerted as they approach the trap.

So how does it work? It combines technologies such as GPS and wireless location, voice transcription, geocoding, reverse geocoding, and SMS, with a central database server. It communicates in real time, using the Internet. Pretty cool, huh?

I’m signing up today, so I’m not sure how well it works yet. If you’re interested, check it out here.

I finally decided to download Skype this week.  Skype allows you to call people anytime, anywhere using a simple software application on your computer.  With Skype, you don’t have to worry about long distance fees or monthly subscription charges.  As long as you are calling people who use the Skype application, you can talk, chat and make video calls for absolutely nothing.  

If you want more advanced features (i.e. non-PC calling), you can add them for a low fee.  I’m not interested in those options, so I’m sticking with the free stuff.  

In the future, I’ll be using Skype to make video calls to Gary when I’m traveling.  We were also thinking it might be cool to have his grandmother use Skype.  The family could call her for free, and she could see them on video. Pretty cool, huh? 

If you have family or friends that you call frequently, check it out.  It’s easy, fun, and remarkably reliable.  And did I mention it was free?

Download Skype Now, and Skype me!

Do you ever find yourself channel surfing but not finding anything to watch on TV?  Do you ever wish you could go back and watch some classic 80s shows like Remington Steele, Knight Rider, or the A-Team?  C’mon, who doesn’t love a good episode of the A-Team?  Maybe you missed an episode of The Office or Friday Night Lights, and you want to get caught up on the show.  If so, then go online and check out Hulu.com. 

Hulu.com offers a cool, easy way to watch shows on demand.  The selection is decent today, and their Website boasts that they hope to provide watchers with the web’s most comprehensive selection from more than 50 content providers including FOX, NBC, MGM, Sony Pictures Television, Warner Bros., and Lionsgate.  You can watch full-length episodes of current primetime TV shows such as The Simpsons and The Office the morning after they air, classics like Miami Vice and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and clips from Saturday Night Live.  Hulu also offers a good variety of full-length feature films. 

The best news is that it’s all available for free!  You don’t even have to register or sign-up for anything.  You just click and watch.  Three views are available — Web, pop-up, or full screen.  The down side is that the shows are ad supported, so you do have to put up with a few commercials, but it’s not overwhelming.  Hulu shows one-quarter as many ads - two minutes for every 22 minutes of content, as opposed to eight on TV.

Gary will be happy to know that there are high res offerings (480p Hi Res) today, and they are working on streaming high-definition video in 720p.  Check out the HD Gallery.  

The site offers some additional features like embedding and emailing of clips.  It also will link you to Amazon Unbox if you want to purchase a movie or a TV show.  Of course, I’m not sure why you’d want to purchase shows when you can watch them for free online.  I guess if you’re going to be on a plane or in some obscure location that doesn’t provide Internet access, it makes sense, but I still prefer to purchase my movies/shows on iTunes.  It’s annoying that Amazon Unbox can’t support iPods, but I digress.

Hulu.com makes it simple to watch your favorite shows and movies anytime, for free.  So, what are you waiting for?  Check it out and enjoy.