Google Docs
Google has an entire office suite online called Google Docs. You can create documents, spreadsheets and presentations completely within your web browser. I find this great for stuff that I need to have access to from many computers. All of the apps have nearly all of the features that you've come to expect from a desktop application, and a few that you just can't get. For example, there's a widget in the spreadsheet app that will mark up a Google map with a list of location's that's in your spreadsheet. This is a fun little toy to play with in my spreadsheet that tracks all of the traveling that I've done for work.
Bonus Tip: You can use Google Docs from your phone. Any phone can view documents, and some higher end phones can even make edits to documents.
TweetDeck
TweetDeck is a Twitter client that helps you keep track of everything on your timeline. It's core feature is a multi-column view that lets you group your tweets together however you'd like. You can add friends to groups, so their tweets will always show up in a particular column. A column can also be configured for search, so you'll see any tweets with your search term in them. I often use search when watching a prime-time TV show live, to see what other people are saying about it, or to see if anyone picks up on some subtlety that I may have missed. It can make TV watching a very interactive experience.
Handbrake
Handbrake is a video transcoding application. Most people use it to shrink videos down to a size that their iPod/Phone can handle. For transcoding software, it's very easy to use, with presets for a lot of common formats and handheld devices. Select the file and what you're going to use it on and you're ready to go. The software also has all of the nitty-gritty options that you could possibly need to fine tune the video output you get from it. Finally, it's multi-threaded, meaning that it will use all of the available processors on your system which gives it a huge performance increase.
Google Mobile Sync
A few months ago Google rolled out Google Mobile Sync. This syncs your Google calendar and contacts to your mobile phone. On Windows Mobile, you don't even need any software for it. It runs right through the built in Active Sync interface in Windows. Syncing happens very quickly, and it is very smart about resolving conflicts when both the mobile and on-line calendars change. I was surprised to see that Sync also pulled the photos from my phone that are associated with contacts and put them into GMail contacts as well.
Bonus Tip: When you're using Google calendar, or a widget, use natural language to enter your events. "Lunch with Jim 12:30 Tuesday at Quiznos" Google will figure out and fill in the date, time, event and location and set up the appointment automatically.
The Dell Saga
As those of you who follow me on twitter know I have been very disappointed with Dell's handling of my new PC order, which ultimately ended up in me canceling the order. Below is my letter to the FTC explaining how I believe Dell is abusing the "Mail Order Rule." Feel free to use it as a template if you feel that you've been a victim of this as well.
Matthew Walsh
(address removed
for privacy)
March 15, 2009
Federal Trade Commission
Consumer Response Center
600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, DC 20580
Dear Sir or Madam:
I recently purchased a computer from Dell Inc. (One Dell Way, Mail Stop 8129, Round Rock, TX 78682). Two weeks after I placed my order they informed me through email that my order would be delayed another week. At the end of this week, they again informed my via email that my order would be delayed another week. This email also mentioned the FTC “Mail Order Rule” (Part 435) and gave me until 9pm that evening to respond or have my order canceled automatically.
I understand the nature of this rule, but I believe that Dell Inc. is using this to their advantage to keep from having to fulfill orders that they deem unreasonable.
First, I believe that the approximately 12 hours between when I received my second delay notification and the time I needed to contact them to continue my order was unusually short. This second email did not state that I would have the option to cancel up until the time that they ship my PC, if I had agreed to the delay. Because of this, I felt that I was being pressured into making a decision to wait indefinitely for my new PC, or cancel and loose out on the deal that I had waited to find through their web site.
Second, at the time of the second notification, the price for the PC I had ordered went up nearly $400 (per their web site), thus I believe they are using this rule as a way to ensure they maximize profits on each of their sales, by saving the components that would have gone into my PC for another customer who was paying more for it.
I have done business with Dell in the past, and have been very pleased with their products, but the handling of this particular delay, in my opinion, was very unsatisfactory.
My account information with Dell is as follows, if needed: (removed for privacy). Enclosed are my order confirmation, first and second delay notices.
Thank you for your time,
Matthew Walsh
