Overlooked

After using Bloglines for a few years, I have switched completely to Google/Reader.

I spend way too much time getting my news, politics editorials, F1 updates, latest gadgets, funny pages, Google Alerts, software updates, LinkedIn changes–everything, via RSS feeds. Bloglines was my RSS reader of choice and I spent hours using it.

Google/Reader’s user interface never appealed to me. Actually, I really like the Beta Blogines UI and could not figure out Google/Reader’s.

Over the holidays I got fed-up with Bloglines slow performance and outages.? I forced myself to try again Google/Reader. After a month, I am a happy convert.

I still don’t like how Google/Reader groups feeds when you read a entier folder, but the keyboard short-cuts for navigating folders (shift-n, shift-p, shift-o, shift-x) which started as a workaround have become the killer feature for me. Also, Google/Reader/Mobile is clean and fast.

I am sure that if Bloglines did not have operational problems I would have never switched–to much momentum. Now that I have, I am one happy puppie.

So long Bloglines and thanks for the fish.

Here are a few more Windows Mobile Applications I Cannot Live Without to add to my previous list.

• ceTwit
  is the best way I have found to upload photos from my phone to the web. It uses twitter and a site called twitpic. As a site affect, the link to the photo gets sent to my Facebook status feed. Works with SFRWAP too!
• iSkoot
  keeps me in touch with my Skype contacts. The IM part works fine, but the updates are a bit slow. The phone part works great for calling your Skype contacts. With my SFR subscription it costs nothing to call my Skype contacts. Works with SFRWAP too!
• playlistmgr
  is the Swiss army knife of the playlist world on Windows Mobile.
• klaxon
  is a basic alarm clock program that will ring until it wakes you up.

:-)

I cannot remember if I ever read a book which made me laugh so hard. I mean, laugh out-loud into tears funny.

There is plenty of his story I could relate to growing up in small-town Vacaville in the mid-1960’s.

:-}

Well written, easy to read, interesting subjects.

:-{

Not all that Science Fiction nor a great story. Mostly a Greek Island travel log.

:-}

The next Grisham.

The IHT reports that Switzerland will become a “Schengen” country and join the European Union’s passport-free travel zone next month. No passports will be checked arriving at Swiss airports starting 29 March 2009.

Now they only need to adopt the Euro to fully join the 20th century.

Other backward countries in Europe remain:

• Cyprus, Britain, Liechtenstein and Ireland have opted to stay out of Schengen
• Romania and Bulgaria want to join Schengen, but have yet to qualify.
• Norway and Iceland participate are not EU, but are Schengen

The gorge just before St. Auban was impressive.

Would be a good walk for Pete & Margrette
Good in summer when its hot.

Steep up at the start for about km. Then flat or gental up/down.

1h52 moving
0h20 not mvoing
400m up and 400m down
7.4km distrance
cold day -0.5c
some snow

Google Map to St. Auban

GPS Trace

RandOxygene website

Pretty simple walk. The Arche is worth it. The time of a couple of hours is about right.

Randoxygene website

GPS trace and waypoints

I use Windows Mobile V6.1. In addition to the standard Office applications that come with Windows Mobile, I use the following applications, which are presenting in order of usefulness:

• Pocket Player V3
  I use it for for listening to podcast, Internet radio, and audio books. Great playlist management ($$).
• MobSync V2
  I use it for syncing files between my phone and my laptop. Used every day for moving podcasts to my phone ($$).
• MyMobileR
  Remote terminal from my laptop to my phone. Useful if you have to type a lot on the phone or need a mouse (free).
• Pocket Informant V8
  I use it for contacts and agenda. The filtering for contacts and the agenda view are great ($$).
• TomTom V6
  I use it for GPS any time I am in the car. Also useful when walking in a town ($$$).
• TOMBO version 2.0 beta 4
  I use it for storing passwords, bank info, and reference notes. The simple text files are encrypted and are shared with the Windows version of Tombo; where I enter most of the info into Tombo (free).
• GSFinder V1.04
  File manager which is a lot more feature filled (free).
• MortButtons 2.5
  Finger friendly menu system (free).
• AE Button Plus V2.6
• Redefine any button on the phone. I have one button for ALT-TABing through the open applications and one for turning off the screen.

Update 7-Dec-08

The last three applications I have not installed. I have only missed AE Button Plus V2.6, but the phone has been much more stable without it, so have not installed it.