tyjypx.com

Got a friend or family member who just loves to send you chain e-mails? The kind that have been forwarded a hundred times over and have so many indents and signatures on them that the original sender probably sent it off years ago? If you secretly enjoy these, but want to find a place where others have compiled their own in-box gems, check out FwdItOn, a simple service that lets you share images, videos, and text e-mails with others in one huge pool.

(Credit:
CNET Networks)

The service has a wonderfully simple submission process. You simply forward any e-mail you feel like sharing to submit@fwditon.com. Likewise, if you feel like forwarding anything you come across to friends or family, there are copious sharing options as well as a new built-in system for marking content safe or unsafe for work viewing.

Read e-mail chain messages without filling up your in-box with FwdItOn. (click to enlarge)

The service shares a lot of its core functionality with Digg. There’s an upcoming section, a live view of incoming content (called Spy), and the content can be rated, commented on, and tagged by its users. While the images and videos are standard fare, the service’s real draw is in its directory of text e-mails, which are full of raucous jokes, riddles, and anything else you’ve seen end up in your in-box.

Creative Zen

Q: I enjoy MP3 Monday Mailbox and thought I’d send along a question. I’ve got a 3-year-old iPod that has bit the bullet and is heading off into retirement. I have been looking at players comparable with the 8GB Nano, namely the list of CNET’s top flash-based MP3 players. My biggest hesitation for going off the iPod reservation is having to figure out new software. I’ve heard horror stories of Sony’s SonicStage software, and then I read in reviews how its interaction with windows media player isn’t that much better. I’m just sort of hesitant to move into the deep unknown of non-iTunes software. Is this even an issue I should be worried about? I listen mainly through a pair of Shure e2cs and a pair of Shure e4cs, so all of the comments about “better sound than the iPod” make me take notice. Is the sound that much better?–Dan, via e-mail

Samsung T10

MP3 Mailbox Monday is a recurring feature where I answer a selection of questions about MP3 players and accessories, such as headphones, speakers, and music services and software. Check back often to see if the advice presented here might be of some use to you, or send your questions directly to me. (Note: We never include last names, but if you prefer to remain completely anonymous, please state as much in your e-mail.)

A: The Zune is a great player, though it does not have Bluetooth. It has Wi-Fi, which is used for sharing songs with other users and wireless syncing with your computer. (Unlike Bluetooth, it doesn’t make the player compatible with wireless headphones.) I’ve heard of the Zune working with various software program, but it technically only supports the Zune Software, which is essentially a heavily-skinned and feature-packed version of Windows Media Player (it’s all Microsoft, after all). The Zune Software was still kind of buggy last time I used it, though it’s certainly nice to look at and the integration of the Zune Marketplace (for song purchasing and podcast management) is a definite plus for Zune users.

As for the sound quality issue, I would say that the iPod Nano’s sound quality is good. It’s certainly satisfactory for the average listener. However, it doesn’t match the audio of a Sony Walkman, Creative Zen, or a Cowon, which are the three brands that most consistently produce excellent sounding MP3 players. The Zune is also becoming known as a top-sounding player, although it doesn’t have as much of a history. Also, it’s technically limited to the Zune Software, but that may appeal to you. I suggest checking it out before committing to a Zune. Last time I used it, it was still working through some kinks.

(Credit:
CNET Networks/Corinne Schulze)

Q: I am considering getting a Zune. I have done my research (on CNET), and Zune is one of the best players that fit the features that I want: FM radio, uses Windows Media Player, video playback, long battery life, Bluetooth is a plus. I have heard that Zune will work with Windows Media Player from my friend, who works in the BestBuy MP3 and iPod section. Is that true? If Zune doesn’t work with Windows Media Player, is the require software good? Are there any other players you would suggest other then Zune?–Leeder, via e-mail

It’s software-mania this week, and I’m all for it. First up, we have a question about veering off the
iPod path and onto something new, but anxieties about non-iTunes software abound. Then, find out about managing music for the
Zune, and get a chance to check out some great podcast managing software for the Creative Zen.

A couple of decent alternatives that fit your requirements are the Samsung T10 and the Insignia MP3 Player & Image Viewer.

Q: I have a second-generation iPod Shuffle, but the only MP3s that go on the Shuffle are podcasts. Now I would like to view video podcasts as well. After listening to Episode 91 of MP3 Insider, I reviewed the alternate MP3 players and seem to like the Creative Zen player because of good quality and SD card expansion. Do you agree? Also, could you recommend a good podcasting client other than iTunes that would work well for video and audio? –Paul, via e-mail

A: Well, the good news is that Sony SonicStage is dead, dead, dead! (Ding, dong, the glitch is dead!) Sony Walkmans now work with any Windows syncing software, or just drag-and-drop via Windows Explorer. Basically, all MP3 players except the iPod and the Zune work seamlessly with Windows Media jukeboxes such as Windows Media Player, Rhapsody, or MediaMonkey. If you want to see even more options, check Download.com under Music Management, Jukeboxes, and Digital Media Players. Any new software will take a bit of getting used to, but you should have no problem finding a program that works for you. Personally, I use Rhapsody and it works just fine for me (though it’s not perfect. Sadly, technology never is. Sigh.)

Flash Zune

A: Yes! I do agree, and there’s an excellent Zen-friendly application called ZenCast for acquiring and managing both audio and video podcasts.

Sony NWZ-S718 Walkman

I still haven’t figured out how to keep Word from crashing on exit, but I regained access to the program’s settings by disabling all add-ins. Unfortunately, it took me the better part of an afternoon to figure out this partial solution, and I’m no closer to finding the source of the crashes, though Vista SP1 is the prime suspect.

I clicked the Trust Center tab in the left pane of the Word Options window, then the Trust Center Settings button, and the Add-ins tab on the left. There I checked Disable all Application Add-ins (may impair functionality) in the right window. Since my “functionality” was already pretty compromised, I figured I didn’t have much to lose.

Use the Microsoft Office Diagnostics utility to troubleshoot problems with Office apps.

Closing Word 2007 after Vista SP1 was installed causes a crash with this error message.

Microsoft Office Diagnostics may direct you to activate this feature in Word 2007's Privacy Options.

I reopened Word without loading the Normal.dotm template or any add-ins by pressing the Windows key, typing winword.exe /a, and pressing Enter. This allowed me to get to all the Word options, and to close the program without crashing. That told me the problem had to be due to a Word add-in. (The privacy setting the diagnostic program referenced was already checked, so that advice turned out to be pointless.)

My first attempt at a fix was to close Word, and then find and rename the Normal.dotm template (it’s called Normal.dot in earlier versions). Word simply recreates the template the next time it opens, with all settings back to their defaults. This catch-all repair, which I’ve used in the past to reset Word, had no effect this time. I then decided to run the
Microsoft Office Diagnostics utility. Since I couldn’t access the program via the Resources tab in the Word Options dialog box (only the options on the Popular tab were available), I ran it from the Start menu shortcut under Microsoft Office Tools.

The Add-ins dialog under the Trust Center options in Word 2007

A funny thing happened after I installed
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 on my PC: Word 2007 started crashing whenever I closed it, and all but a handful of the application’s settings became inaccessible.

Tomorrow: the pros and cons of Windows’ System Restore.

None of the tests indicated any problems, though one of the results directed me to check “Download a file periodically that helps determine system problems” in the Privacy Options dialog box, after which I was instructed to wait a week for the problem to fix itself.

When I reopened Word the normal way I could access all settings, but the program still crashes whenever I close it. I searched the error code and mso.dll it mentioned and tried several of the suggestions offered in various forums, but nothing solved the glitch: Not updating my printer driver, not editing the Registry, not even relocating my Office 2007 installation. I may have to use System Restore or my most recent image backup to reset my PC to its state before SP1 was installed, but I’m going to wait a while before taking this step in hopes that a patch becomes available, or I stumble upon a fix.

The State of Green Business study also noted that “greenwashing” has become concern among consumers

“Companies are getting cleaner and more efficient, but only incrementally, and many of the gains are offset by the ever-growing economy. So, while greenhouse gas emissions per dollar of economic activity may be dropping, the growing economy means those emissions are largely unchanged,” Makower wrote.

Out of over 1,000 investors surveyed, almost half said they were likely to invest in a company or mutual fund with an environmental component to it. Seventeen percent said they already have made that sort of investment.

But the survey also uncovered some mistrust of corporations’ claims. Seventy-eight percent said that most companies today are choosing to focus on environmental issues for public relations, rather than financial, value.

But those efforts don’t appear to be enough to sufficiently reduce greenhouse gas emissions or meet other environmental targets.

There is real money behind the claims of corporations “going green,” but consumers still need convincing that it’s more than just feel-good PR, a couple of recently released studies show.

Nearly every day seems to bring fresh news of corporations boosting their commitment to the environment, either through internal energy-efficiency measures or plans to introduce green tech products.

Still, more and more companies are recognizing that pursuing environmentally aware policies does not necessarily conflict with a corporation’s financial goals, he said.

Separately, Allianz Global Investors published another in a steady stream of reports from investment firms singling out business opportunities from climate change.

Yet despite any consumer skepticism, businesses’ commitments to green technology and products are expected to rise, as they seek to capitalize on environmental problems and appeal to consumers’ desire for greener products.

“Environmental products and services are moving from the realm of corporate social responsibility or niche activities to core businesses that will generate significant future revenue stream,” Bozena Jankowska, lead portfolio manager of the Allianz RCM Global EcoTrends Fund, said in a statement.

Allianz, however, surveyed consumers as well and found that there is a strong desire to find socially or environmentally conscious ways to invest.

In a report released on Wednesday called the State of Green Business, consultant and writer Joel Makower and his colleagues from Greener World Media say that businesses are making progress in addressing environmental problems, such as climate change or toxic waste.

The U.S. Congress is fixated on taxing the oil and gas companies for their “windfall profits” today, while Apple’s profit margins as a percentage of sales are actually higher than Exxon’s and those of the other bogeymen of Congress.

It won’t last. We’re a fickle lot. I can’t buy Apple’s hardware fast enough today. I’m guessing I’ll regret it tomorrow.

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This is as true of Apple’s cash position, which BusinessWeek recently noted may soon surpass that of Microsoft’s, as it is of Apple’s product portfolio and business strategy.

I suspect that even ardent Apple fans like myself will someday be asking similar questions of Apple. As we buy our way deeper into the Apple ecosystem by adding various pieces of Apple hardware to our homes and offices, Apple will eventually accelerate our dependence on its technology by adding more software offerings (e.g., MobileMe) that make it easier for us to keep this sea of hardware connected and productive.

There was a time that we said similar things about Microsoft and happily bought into the lock-in that we’d eventually come to mistrust and seek to escape. Few are saying this now of Microsoft. And its cash hoard of roughly $23.7 billion has simultaneously become a cause for envy and concern: what will the convicted monopolist do with that pile of money? Can it possibly be in our interest?

At that point, we’ll start looking for a new savior and wonder when we allowed ourselves to become so dependent on Apple, just as we once asked of Microsoft. For the moment, I think the giddiness of having a real choice sends us from Microsoft to Apple, Google, and others.

It’s almost a truism that while Microsoft struggles to do anything right (in the media’s eyes), Apple can pretty much do no wrong.

It’s the cash that I find particularly surprising. Apple is swimming in cash, more than $20 billion of it. The company adds more than $1 billion in cash to its stockpile each quarter. Today we give Apple a free pass on its iTunes/iPod lock-in, which delivers much of the Apple profits, because we can still happily apply such adjectives as “cool” and “innovative” to Apple.

Bowie, of course, was an established artist, and Slicethepie focuses on bankrolling unsigned and largely unknown performers. The way Slicethpie works is that members review a pool of about 7,500 acts, Reuters reported. The 20 or so with the highest ratings every month “go forward to qualify for funding.”

Investors receive $1.98 for every album sold, according to Reuters. The wire service used as an example the Arctic Monkeys, a popular U.K. band. Had the group been on Slicethepie and sold 1.1 million copies, then someone making a $40 investment in the band would have received $4,000.

This is the latest attempt to find an alternative business model for the ailing music industry and provide fans more direct interaction with entertainers. Last year, Radiohead walked away from its record label and in a ground-breaking move offered the album In Rainbows directly to the public via the Web. The band allowed anyone who wanted the music to pay what they thought it was worth.

Selling shares in a musician is not new. In 1997, David Bowie sold Bowie Bonds, which gave a single buyer (the Prudential Insurance Co.) the rights to future assets derived from Bowie’s first 25 albums (287) songs for a total of 10 years. In return Bowie received an upfront payment of $55 million. After 10 years, the rights returned to Bowie.

“We effectively turn every music fan into a record label,” David Cortier-Dutton, the company’s CEO told Reuters. “Everyone can invest in new artists on an economically attractive basis.”

(Credit:
Slicethepie.com)

Artists are allowed to opt out and sign with a traditional label provided they pay a 50 percent premium, Reuters said. Next month, the indie rock band, The Alps, will be the first act from Slicethepie to release an album.

Only about one or two acts receive enough financial backing to create and release an album. According to Reuters, a band would need to sell 100,000 albums for a major record label to break even. But at Slicethepie.com, a band need sell only 1,000 units for the Web site’s members to make money.

The Alps, one of the bands that Slicethepie members can buy shares in.

The Web start-up has financed 13 bands and generated the equivalent of nearly $80,000 for its 40,000 “scouts,” according to a story from Reuters. The company enables members to test their skills at evaluating talent and in this way they become mini music moguls.

A lot of people have talked about selling stock in bands as a means to help finance promising musicians. In Great Britain, a company called Slicethepie.com is enabling fans to trade shares of music acts the way they would a publicly traded company.

The good news for Americans is that you don’t need to live in Great Britain to invest, according to a note on Slicethepie.com.

(Credit:
Matt Asay)

And then there are times like this afternoon. I decided to take my laptop on the floor to work. You know, get a change of scenery, right?

Working with Lily

Most of the time I love working from home. I’ve been doing it for nearly 10 years, and greatly appreciate the freedom and productivity that I find working at home.

It was working like a charm until Lily, my three-year old, decided to invade my work space. Even that wasn’t so bad until she climbed up on my shoulders and started pinching my ears. I tried moving her but she told me she couldn’t get down on the ground because “Someone might bite [her] legs.”

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Note to self: remember to install a new lock on the door.

When asked, “Who?” she had no answer. But by that point, it really didn’t matter anymore. She had conquered. Work was banished.

Some praised Microsoft for making it easier for programmers to get access to technology such as communication protocols and file formats, and to get their software to work better with Microsoft’s; others griped about Microsoft’s continued desire for open-source companies to obtain patent licenses.

Torvalds’ opinion goes right down the middle of the mixed reactions various people in the open-source software area had to the news.

Linus Torvalds, leader of the Linux kernel project that’s among the best-known open-source threats to Windows, has words of praise for Microsoft’s announcement last week that it would share some previously hard-to-get technology with open-source programmers.

“I may make fun of Microsoft occasionally, and yeah, I think they do stupid things at times, but I think this one was a step in the right direction,” Torvalds said in an e-mail.

“Could it have been even more? Sure. But give them credit for at least seeming to open up a little, even if it probably was at least partially pushed upon them by the EU rulings.”

Torvalds isn’t in the castigation camp. “Does it mean people should trust and love them? No,” he said. “But I also don’t see the point in flaming them over what is clearly at least an incremental improvement.”

I had planned to interview Cote this afternoon after he moderated a few panels at MuleCon but somehow he got lost in the crowd. So, I’ve decided to make it all up and entertain myself.

After the moon trip got cancelled I got a gig flying the blimp for the University of Texas football team and ended up in Austin. As all of our RedMonk work is virtual and collaborative and I fly a blimp I can get anywhere slowly but efficiently.

Q: If you had to choose a favorite pastry, what would it be?

A: First, let me state that its hard to beat a muffin-top. However, my weapon of choice would be a fresh-baked croissant with butter and jam. Excessive? Maybe, but we RedMonk guys live life on the edge.

Q: What’s with the beard?

A: A vast majority of great men have always rocked beards. It’s a sign of virility and dynamism. If you are on the town you’ll always see the bearded guys with the lovely ladies. For that matter, bearded ladies always have the hunky guys.

Q: Do you own any teeth that are not your own?

A: I own one of Ben Franklin’s molars that I took as payment for a blimp flight from Dallas to Orlando. The client was a crazed oil-baron who looked like the Texan on the Simpsons. His grandfather won the tooth in a bet and passed it on from father to son to grandson. I wear it around my neck at all times in order to keep the peace between the Tories and Whigs.

Q: Being that you do most of you work in the Bay Area, why do you live in Austin?

A: I had flown blimps for a number of years and I was based down in Sunnyvale at Moffett Field. I had been training for the next manned shuttle launch to the moon but then Iceland pulled the funding that they had allotted to the program. (Note: while not a native Icelander, Cote spent his early years on a fishing boat in the Atlantic.)

We’re running our benchmark tests on the Dell Adamo right now, so stay tuned for a full review. In the meantime, check out these new pics of the new white Adamo and our original first look video.

Unboxing the Dell Adamo (Pearl)

No, it's not white, it's "pearl."

As a Core 2 Duo laptop that’s less than 0.65-inches thick, the Adamo is much more powerful than other new slim systems such as HP’s 12-inch Pavilion dv2 (with a new AMD Athlon Neo CPU). It’s also much more expensive, starting at $1,999 and running to $2,699.

We previously got an exclusive early hands-on look at the Dell Adamo, the new luxury 13-inch that’s one of the most buzzed-about new laptops of 2009. That was a pre-production model in black (Dell calls it “onyx”) and now our final shipping version of the Adamo has arrived, and this is the white “pearl” version.