AT&T DSL Service Outage 03-27-09 (Miami, FL)

Yesterday morning, my AT&T DSL line went down. When it occurred, the lights the 2Wire modem were blinking and were not able to establish an Internet Connection. Here are the steps I used to try and resolve the problem.

• AT&T Tech Support - I called 1-888-321-2375 to inquire if there was a service outage. I was informed there was none that they were aware of.
  
• AT&T Tech Support - The tech reset the port for me and diagnosed an intermittent DSL connection issue on 2Wired modem. She put in a Service Request to request an AT&T rep come out the following day between 8 am and 12pm or 1 pm and 5 pm. I choose 8 am.
  
• Re-test with Backup Modem - I found an old Westell modem in my closet and plugged it in to my DSL data line and was still unable to get an Internet connection.
  
• AT&T Tech Support Manager - I asked to speak with a manager to get the service call that afternoon or evening but was unsuccessful. I explained that I was a very loyal AT&T customer and subscribe to several of their services. After making this call, I did get a follow-up voice mail confirminmg my appointment for 8 am next day and letting me know to call 1-888-272-4047 if I needed to reschedule the appointment.
  
• AT&T Onsite Tech - The tech arrived the following day at 8:30 am, about 24 hours from the initial service outage. He tested the line with his modem and was not able to get an Internet connection. He diagnosed the root cause of the problem being at the box on the street which is commonly caused by storms or bad weather. He put in another service request or ticket to request service at the AT&T box on the street. The tech gave me the ticket number. He tried to schedule the service for the afternoon but was unsucessful. The service was scheduled for the following day.
  
• AT&T Tech Support - I called AT&T Tech Support at 1-888-321-2375 to speak with a manager. I was able to convince her to escalate the ticket for this afternoon, between 1pm and 5pm.

More later...

Watch NCAA Games in HQ for Free on CBSSports.com

On the CBSSport.com site, I've been watching the 2009 NCAA March Madness on Demand service that is streaming live video for every game for free. This year they have a new High Quality (HQ) player that uses Microsoft Silverlight that will be downloaded and installed before you are able to view the NCAA games in HQ. The quality is the very good.

Here's the direct link to the CBSSports.com site with the Player.

http://mmod.ncaa.com/?source=mktg_09MMOD_AAsports

Advice to My Family Members - Memorize Your iTunes Password

As the tech guy in my family, I sometimes get calls during moments of crisis when their iPhone, Mac or PC has a major issue. As most of us know that provide Family IT Support, there is no trouble ticket system with assigned priorities -- depending on the family member everything is a high priority incident.

So this week, here are words of advice to my family members, none of which read this blog.

• User Name and Passwords -- You should create a list of all user names and passwords and keep that list in a secure place -- and that doesn't mean on yellow post-its tacked to your computer monitor. In addition, you should not write the exact password on this list but some set of words that would remind you of your password.
  
• Use Several Different Passwords -- No one should use the same password for every service they use!
  
• Password Length -- You should have a secure password for every combination of required password lengths such as 4 characters numeric only, 6 characters alpha numeric, 8 charaters alpha numeric.
  
• Your List -- Everytime you sign up for a new service requiring a password, you should write it down on your secure list. There are some secure programs such as SplashID that allow you to enter these on your mobile device or computer. However, if you store the password electronically, you should remember to enter a password hint rather than the actual password.

Finally, if you have an iPhone or computer and want to download an application or music, "please memorize and or write down your iTunes password and your Apple ID." And if you forgot it, here's the link if you forgot your iTunes password.



iTunes Forget Password link

iTunes 8.1.0.52 Windows Update

I finally installed iTunes 8.1.0.52 update for Windows and iTunes 8.1 (50) for the Mac. They both seem to be working fine. Some users are reporting that after this release, iTunes can no longer find the iPone Application Updates. That was not true for me.

Google Voice Invitation Link

For those of you that don't have a Google Voice account or did not participate in the Grand Central private beta, here's the link to get on the Google Voice waiting list.

https://services.google.com/fb/forms/googlevoiceinvite/


Google Voice Features
https://www.google.com/voice/about


Here are some of the cool new features of Google Voice that I think are useful:

• Voicemail transcripts -- Read what your voice mail. This may come in handy if you're in a meeting or with your family, the W, or GF and can't pickup your voice mail.


• Share voicemail -- Forward your voicemail messages.


• Listen in - Listen before taking a call.


• SMS - Send, receive and store SMS messages.


• Place calls -- Call U.S. numbers for free.


• Forwarding phones -- Add phones and decide which will wring and in what order.


• Conference Calling -- Join people with a single call.


• GOOG-411 -- Check directory assistance.

Gary Vaynerchuck - FOWA Conference

An inspirational tech video with Gary Vaynerchuck from the 2009 FOWA Conference I attended in Miami. Gary says he needs to "Go into hibernation and grow a sick ass beard and come out with six killer apps."


Gary Vaynerchuk at FOWA Miami 09 from DamianVoltes.com on Vimeo.

Amazon Kindle iPhone App User Interface

Can you read an Amazon Book on your iPhone? Is the screen too small? Here are some screen shots. I encourage everyone with an iPhone to take the time and download the Kindle iPhone App so they can decide for themselves.

Book Text from the Amazon Kindle iPhone App

Alec Baldwin's Book


Book Table of Contents on the Amazon Kindle iPhone App


List of Books on the Amazon Kindle iPhone App


Go To Navigation on the Amazon Kindle iPhone App


Locaton or Page navigation on the Amazon Kindle iPhone App

Using the Kindle 2 iPhone App to Read a Book

Today, I downloaded and installed the new Amazon Kindle App for the iPhone and purchased a book for it. Here are the steps I used:

1. I installed the iPhone Kindle App from the iTunes App Store. You an also download it from the link on the www.amazon.com/kindlestore/ or use the the Safari browser on my iPhone. There was no link to the iPhone Safari browser.

4. I typed in "www.amazon.com/kindlestore" in my iPhone Safari Browser and then found the book I was looking for at $13.51 that would be Auto-delivered wirlessly to Kindle on my iPhone.

5. In the right navigation, there were two options: A) Buy with 1-Click, Send wirelessly to my iPhone or B) Send Sample now wirelessly to my iPhone.

6. I clicked "Buy with 1-Click" and was prompted to sign-in to my Amazon account.

7. I was asked to verify my credit card information and billing address and then received the message: "Your Kindle Edition order has been placed. Your item will be sent to Iphone. Kindle for iPhone will start downloading the this item the next time you open the application.

8. I tapped on the Kindle Application and my Book was delivered in seconds.

Technology Video - Did You Know 2.0

Video by by Karl Fisch, Scott McLeod, Jeff Bronman.

The Amazon Kindle 2 Rocks!

Okay, I ordered my W the Kindle 2 because I wasn't sure that I wanted one. Today, while she was at the office, I downloaded a book from Amazon from for $13.92 which included wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet. The regular price of the book was $15.47 + shipping. However, with the Kindle 2, here the things you can do:

• Text to Speech - When reading a book, you can click Menu, Start Text-to-Speech and the Kindle will start reading the the book to you. The software used is similar to the text-to-speech engine used with the Auto GPS systems so it is not for everyone, but I could see times when I would use it with my headphones.


• Amazon Store Wireless Access - The Kindle 2 connects to the Amazon Store simply by selecting Menu, Turn Wireless On. There are no setting to configure and I understand it uses both 3G and wi-fi.


• Kindle 2 User Interface - The Amazon Kindle 2 screen is surprisingly very easy to read. It reminds me of the Palm Pilot screen, but better. When reading a book, the Next Page buttons on the left or right and the Prev Page button is the main user interface control you need to get use to as well as the Joy Stick which is similar to the iPod Home button. Also, as an Apple iPhone and iPod user, I keep wanting to touch the screen but that feature is not supported. (The W would not be happy if I inadvertently touched her Kindle 2 screen.)


• 
  
• 240K Books - There are over 240,000 e-books in the Amazon Kindle Store. A very impressive inventory.

Newspapers and Magazines - I was going to check out The New York Times and noticed that the Kindle 2 version is another $13.99. Ouch, I already get the print version so I don't think I'll be subscribing.

Blogs - Huh, you can read blogs such as the Amazon Daily (top selling but free?), The New York Times #2 ($1.99 per mo), The Clutter Diet #3 ($.99), The Onion #4 ($.99 per mo), The Huffington Post #5 ($1.99 per mo) and the Bedroom Blog #10 $.99 per month. (Hey wait a minute, aren't these blogs free on the Internet!). I don't think I'll be using this service since I can read these blogs on my MacBook or iPhone with 3G.

In any regard, The Kindle 2 is still hot and I recommend you get yours now before they run out!

Twitter Spam - GrantToolBox.com website - Grant Money Lost

If you receive a twitter or email leading to a landing page at a grantoolbox.com or secure.grantoolbox.com website, this is spam. Here is the Twitter spam I recently received from one of their affiliates.

1) Today, received a "twitter spam" that a member "Whynot12"was following me.

EMAIL MESSAGE
Subject: Whynot12 is now following you on Twitter!

Whynot12 (vqdsfZ) is now following your updates on Twitter.
Check out Whynot12's profile here:
http://twitter.com/vqdsfZ

You may follow Whynot12 as well by clicking on the "follow" button.

Best,
Twitter

2) When someone follows you on Twitter, I typically click the person's Twitter profile page to see if I know this person and see how many followers the person has. This person Whynot12 had over 800 followers, however, there most recent tweet looked like email spam I received. "Just applied for the new Obama stimulas grant package.

3) So I clicked through to the link, and it appeared to be an affiliate link, where the affiliate gets paid each time a user signs up or registers.
4) The Affiliate was https://secure.granttoolbox.com/

5) Ouch, look at their 245,000 monthly unique visitors per month on Quantcast.

Amazon Kindle 2 Now Shipping

For Valentine's Day, I bought my W or wife an Amazon Kindle 2. She can't wait to get it and I understand it shipped early and should arrive by Thursday, February 26, 2009. This is a very, very cool device with free 3G connectivity to buy books from Amazon and wireless connectivity, a browser for basic surfing the Internet. The electronic books should be $10 or less and this device has great battery life.

David Pogue's review is in today's edition of the New York Times.

I told my W to wait to buy the case since I imagine we'll see many great cases on the market in the next several months. I received an email regarding a new Kenneth Cole case for the Kindle 2.

AMEX Enhanced Fraud Protection - Overseas Transactions

Before traveling abroad, I need to remember to call my credit card companies such as AMEX to ensure I can use my credit cards overseas. That said, when traveling abroad online and when you think the company's shopping cart might be hosted overseas such as in the UK, then you must remember to call your credit card company to ensure your card is authorized to charge in the UK. Otherwise, you'll find yourself calling your credit card company or in the AMEX case, using their "Enhanced Fraud Protection".

Canon Rebel XTi Photos during Amgen Tour of California Bike Race

Here are some shots I took with my Canon Rebel XTi in the rain during the Amgen Tour of California bike race. You'll see some shots of Lance Armstrong.

Google GrandCentral 2.0 - Bring It

I was at a Miami Heat basketball game the other night reading my Twitter Friend's posts on my iPhone 3G and noticed disturbing tweet (no, it wasn't twitter: THE_REAL_SHAQ announcing he's in San Fran on his way to Alcatraz and he might stay) -- it was a tweet from Alex de Carvalho (twitter: alexdc) South Florida Tech thought leader and Social Media Strategist regarding the rumor that Google was shutting down GrandCentral, the universal phone number service. I immediately called my GrandCentral number that I had recently had printed on some new business cards and discovered that it was still active. If I would have continued reading Alex's Twitter messages, I would have later discovered that GrandCentral.com is not shutting down but will soon be releasing GrandCentral 2.0, that's at least the news from NY Times Tech Columnist David Pogue. http://www.alleyinsider.com/2009/1/pogue-googles-grandcentral-not-dead-just-resting

I had significant doubts that GrandCentral would not be a repeat of the dot-com era startup Thinklink later acquired by United Airlines. I'm glad to hear that at least today's news is that's just not true!

If you don't have a GrandCentral number yet, there's a waiting list so I would advise that you reserve your number now.

Upgrading my iPhone from 2.2 to 2.2.1

Today, despite warnings from a few users not to install the iPhone firmware update 2.2.1, I went ahead and installed it. I also updated my iPhone Touch from 2.2 to 2.2.1.

I was little hesitant to update it since earlier this year I switched to a MacBook Pro after nearly decades of exclusive PC computer and laptop use. See my blog on some of my experiences in running Windows on a MacBook Pro. 

http://widows-on-mac.blogspot.com/

In any regard, so far both my iPhone 3G and iTouch are running on 2.2.1 without any problems. I understand there are only minor fixes (Safari stability; fixes an image image in which pictures are saved from mail and don't display in camera roll and for iTouch users a Apple Lossless ALAC audio issue) but some 3G users report improved performance.

The Google Earth Updates 5.0 Rock! (at least for Miami, Florida users)

Wow, the new Google Earth Updates for Mac and Windows totally rock! If you haven't installed them yet, you should. I also noticed at least in the Miami, Florida area, the satellite and 3D images are vastly improved!

Google Earth Mac
5.0.11337.1968 (beta)

Google Earth 5.0.11337.168 Windows

Twitter is over Capacity - Trying to Add or Update your Picture

Are you trying to add or update your picture on Twitter and are you receiving the error message: "Twitter is over capacity". This happened to me only when I tried to upload a .GIF image. When I converted the image to .PNG or .JPG, the same image uploaded successfully.

Fring iPhone Applicaton - Can receive Skype Chat - AlwaysOn

 

 

http://www.fring.com/download/iphone/

Lastly, so what is Fring, on their website they say they are a "mobile internet service & community" that enables you to access and interact with social networks on-the-go, make free calls and live chat with your fring, Skype, MSN Messenger, Google Talk, ICQ, SIP, Twitter, Yahooo and AIM friends using your handset's internet connection.

 

 

 

Dish Network - Losing Local Channels

In the past several month, my Dish Network cable TV has been losing my local channels. To fix this, shutting the power off and turning it back on usually fixes the problem, but that requires at least 5 minutes to reboot and reconnect to the satellite. I actually think turning most of my Windows PCs boot faster. I also use a Dish Network reseller in Miami, Florida, Broadband Solutions. I hope to find a solution to this problem or another vendor.

BTW, in the past month they have sent me two different smart cards to reinstall. They say they will be canceling my service unless I reinstall the new cards. What's up with that? I hope this isn't some security issue! Don't they know if it's not broken, don't mess with it!

If anyone has any recommendations, please let me know (and don't say, switch to Direct TV!)

View of Inauguration on CNN Site Using Microsoft Photosynth

If you haven't seen this yet, check out the view of the Inauguration at the CNN site using user submitted photos. It uses Photosynth by Microsoft Live Labs.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/44.president/inauguration/themoment/


This is very cool technology!

Inauguration Map -

Here is a link to an Inauguration Day Map if you have any family and friends attending today's Inauguration in Washington DC. It shows the areas for the different ticket colors.

My V-Moda iPhone Headphones broke

After almost a year, my V-Moda iPhone headphones plug casing broke and it lasted a few months until one day they just didn't work. I bought a new pair at the Apple Store over the holidays and I sure hope they don't break this time!

Fix for Zune Frozen, Video How to Reset Zune - ZY2K9 Fix

If you have a frozen Zune affected by the Dec. 31st ZY2K9 issue, here is a Youtube.com video to reset your Zune.

1. Press and hold the [Back] button and the [Up] on the pad for a few seconds.




More info on fixing a Frozen Zune
http://mostpopularinusa.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-to-fix-frozen-zune.html

Zune Z2K9 Fix

I don't have a Zune so I am not affected by the Zune Z2K9 failure that is crashing Zune 30s. Here is one recommendation from a user on Gizmodo.com.

-- snip from Gizmodo.com --

http://gizmodo.com/5121311/30gb-zunes-failing-everywhere-all-at-once

There's a fix:

"Your zune will need a "hard reset."

To do this, use a small screwdriver to pop off the plastic shielding where the zune cable plugs into and remove the two screws on either side of the plug. Next pop the cover off and locate the battery plug at the top left corner of the zune, using your screw driver, pop the cable connection half way off, and do this to the other plug on the right side. Wait 3 seconds, then push down the right connector and then the left battery connecter. Your zune should start up immediately. Press the backing of the zune down (make sure headphone jack is aligned) and put the screws and cover back in place.

It's an easy process but if you're unsure don't attempt it if you think you'll screw it or something. :)"

Not pretty, but it might help those of you who have this problem.

Congrats to the Miami Dolphins

As read my email including friend updates from social sites: Facebook.com, MySpace.com, Twitter.com, LinkedIn.com and Yelp.com, I am shocked at the number of people talking about the Miami Dolphins.

Las Vegas Airport Information - Snow Storm

My nephew's flight to Las Vegas last night was canceled due to the snow storm and he is currently waiting at his gate for the next flight to Vegas. It occurred to me that with the new iPhone 3G and other similar devices, you can use other more reliable websites to predict or estimate your flight status rather than relying on the TV monitor at the airport gate as your sole source. I'm sure many of us have waited patiently at an airline gate and not trusted the information provided by the airlines and wanted more detailed information so that we can make possible alternative travel plans.

For flights delayed due to the Las Vegas Snow Storm, here's some sites that I found.

FAA Airport Information - provides overall airport conditions status.
http://www.fly.faa.gov/flyfaa/flyfaaindex.jsp?ARPT=las&p=0

Las Vegas Airport Information - provides a list of upcoming flight arrivals and departures.
http://www.mccarran.com/

Bose Headphones with iPhone and Skype?

When traveling overseas, I like to use Skype and I've always wondered if I can use my Bose QuietComfort 2 Headphones with the accessory microphone cord I use with my iPhone to connect to my Dell laptop. I would really not wamt tp carry an extra headset for using Skype with my PC. I googled around and didn't see the answer, looked at the Bose FAQs and finally called Bose Customer Service. The answer from their customer service representative was that there is no known plug from Bose or any third party. A workaround is to use the Bose for your sound and buy a third party microphone for your laptop.

That's too bad.

Vonage Service Outbound Caller ID Not Yet Available in 2008

I noticed the other day that their Outbound Caller ID did not display the name of my business. I cannot believe that Vonage Outbound Caller ID is not yet available as of 2008. I have seen complaints dating back to 2006. When I called Vonage Customer service today, the rep told me:

• "It's available for their business customers only."


• "It's not available on any IP Phone Service"


• "The final answer is that the Vonage Outbound Caller ID is not available on their personal or business services".

Here are some links to other individuals complaining about this.

Vonage Outbound Caller Not Available
Vonage Outbound Caller ID Complaint in 2006
Cnet News - comment

When I subscribed to the Vonage Service several years ago, I did so thinking the service would improve in future years. I understand that displaying the caller id has been problematic for telco companies, but even my iPhone family plan displays the correct outbound caller id for each family member. The Vonage corporate tag line is: "A Better Way to Phone for Less". They list one of their features as "Caller ID with Name" but that is clearly deceptive advertising, it should read "Inbound Caller ID with Name Only".

Without Outbound Caller ID, Vonage is clearly not a viable personal or business phone alternative. Come on Vonage, it's time to step up your level of service!

Apple iTunes 8.02 and iPhone 2.2

I updated my Apple iTunes 8.02 and my iPhone to iPhone 2.2. These updates were installed without any problems except with my PC Windows or Dell laptop, I have not been able to upgrade my iPhone firmware for about a year. Luckily, I have a Macbook and I first synch my iPhone on my Dell, then backup and upgrade my iPhone on my Macbook. This release took less than an hour with my 16GB iPhone 3G.

This is a nice upgrade loaded with use features that include:

• Google Maps Walking and Public Transit Directions
• ITunes Store Podcast Downloads
• Apps Store sorting options
• The ability to disable the annoying Auto Correction keyboard setting (Setting > General > Keyboard > Auto-Correction Off
• Pressing the App Home Button is suppose to return you to the Application Home screen with this release but this feature did not work for me.

Overall, a very nice unexpected full featured iPhone update. Great job Apple iPhone Dev Team!

Google Mobile App to be launched on Monday 17 November 2008?

The new rumor is that Google Mobile App that allows voice search will be released on Monday, November 17, 2008.

http://www.google.com/mobile/apple/app.html

How much postage do you put on your Miami - Dade County Absentee Ballot?

I use to think the United States Postal Service website was great at calculating postage but when I mailed my Absentee ballot today, the site computed $.59 unless the envelope is an odd size, which it could be, then it's is $.79 cents. James Camner, a blogger on The Huffington Post site writes it will cost two first class stamps or $.84. My W says she took hers to the post office and the postal worker there said it was $.59. A Miami Herald website news article reports that the Post Office will deliver your ballot regardless of the postage you put on it. In Osceola county in Florida, the postage is $1.17 because of the number of initiatives on their ballot.

I put two first class stamps or $.84 on my ballot. If I were voting for the post master general or for the group that writes the ballot instructions, they surely won't get my vote today.

Happy voting!

Sequoia Capital Presentation on Startups and Economic Downturn

There is not much optimism in Silicon Valley.

Sequoia Capital on startups and the economic downturn

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: depression recession)

Digital TV Converter box installed - Miami, FL

Okay, my mom doesn't get cable TV so I requested and received one of
those $40 coupons. The expiration date was Oct 20, 2008 so today I
bought and installed the Zenith DTT901. It was $59.95 less $40.00.

I was curious to try it out on a small TV in my kitchen that previously only received analog
channel 6 NBC in Miami, Florida. After installing the Digital TV Converter Box, I now I recieve 10 digital stations that are crystal clear including ABC but not NBC. Many of the new
stations are in Spanish but I am shocked by the improved quality. Some other observations:

• The digital channels have a new numbering scheme. Just what we need, another non-standard numbering scheme for our TV channels.
  
• The box came with a remote which you use to change the digital channels. Just what my mom needs, another remote.
• There is a website that provides more information on the new digital tv channels and provides you information on which direction to point your antenna for the best reception. See www.atennaweb.org
  

The main problem I see is that there is a delay on some digital tv stations similar to what we see during a rainstorm. If this delay occurs too frequently, it would make digital tv unusable if it cannot be fixed with a better antenna. When my mom asks why we can't go back to her old television without the box, I'll have some explaining to do...just when I got rid of her old telephone, now another change for her. We'll see what happens in February 2009.

XM Radio Pricing after Merger with Sirius

Several of my friends purchased a Sirius lifetime membership for $499. As a loyal XM radio customer, I don't remember getting any news of that promotion. Here is XM's pricing to get the new Sirius Channels which includes Sirius NFL radio, Howard Stern, Martha Stewart Living and Playboy.

$458.00 - 3 years XM and Sirius
$322.00 - 2 years XM and Sirius
$186.89 - 1 year XM and Sirius
$16.99 per month - XM and Sirius
$50.97 per quarter - XM and Sirius
$12.95 per month - XM only.

I didn't like the idea of a lifetime membership when I first heard about it. That said, it sure sounds like a great offer now.

AOL Hometown FTP Settings - members.aol.com FTP Setting

To access your AOL FTP site using a FTP Client such as Core FTP LE, here are the steps and the settings that I used.

1. Login to AOL using your AOL Client software.

2. Host /IP / URL: members.aol.com
Username: anonymous
pw: youraolmembername@aol.com

Port: 21
x PASV (this box checked)
_ SSSH/SFTP (this box unchecked)

They are shutting down AOL Hometown or members.aol.com on October 31, 2008. The use of a FTP client is the best method to change and/or retrieve your files off AOL.

Good luck! If you have any questions, please add a comment to my blog.

AOL Hometown - Redirect to WordPress Site

AOL Hometown is closing down on October 31, 2008. I had a site on AOL Hometown from the beginning of the Internet in the late '90s. Here is how I moved my site from AOL Hometown or AOL Member Pages to the free www.Wordpress.com site.




1. Create your free site at http://www.wordpress.com/

2. Create pages in WordPress from your HTML pages in AOL.

3. To redirect your website pages, add the following code. This code uses HTML only and does not use Javascript. This is method is recommended my some Search Engine Optimization pros who do not recommend using Javascript. This is the best method I could find to hopefully preserve my Google page rank, Google search results and Yahoo organic search results.

The Economic Crisis of 2008 - Financial Crisis of 2007-2008

In the last several weeks, I have been emotionally exhausted after watching the television and reading the media coverage of the state of our U.S. and global financial markets, the coverage of our U.S. presidential election/debates and the $700 Billion Bailout Bill Congressional Hearings. The information provided with these media sources was not necessarily helpful in answering my important questions.

So today, I searched the Wikipedia.org website to find out what the Editors of Wikipedia.org (whoever they are) have to say about the our U.S. and Global Economies. There is a main article on the Wikipedia.org website: Economic Crisis of 2008 which includes a summary of another Wikipedia article: the Global financial crisis of September-October 2008 also referred to as the Liquidity crisis of September 2008. These are well-written articles that concisely explain how our economy and financial markets got to where they are today.

Wikipedia.org also contain a definition of several related words: What is the difference between a recession and a depression - or What is the difference between an economic recession and a economic depression. In other words, are we entering the Depression of 2008 or the Great Depression of 2008 - 2009?

These articles are updated daily which is necessary for these topics. They also attempt to be as factual as possible which is important during these are very tough times economically, financially and emotionally for all of us -- Americans and people around the world.

In other words, if you are pondering what to do with your financial investments right now, these articles are must reads!

iPod Wet Screen - Use Zip Lock Bag and Rice to Repair it.

Here is something to try if your iPod gets wet or damp and your iPod has a White Screen or a Blank Screen. In this case, the iPod functioned but you could not read the menu items on the screen. Before I tried this, I reset the iPod and restored the iPod but neither of these worked.

1. Wipe any water off the iPod immediately.
2. Do not use the iPod, turn if off if you can.
   
3. Use a vacuum to dry out the iPod. A hair dryer is not recommended.
   
4. Put the iPod in a plastic zip lock bag with a handful of rice or use Silica Gel Packets that come with most electronic items (I couldn't find any in my house since I usually throw them away). Leave your iPod in the bag for several hours and check it 2-3 hours or so. Apparently, the rice or Silica Gel Packets absorb the moisure in the LCD iPod screen.
   

In this case, the iPod Nano screen became active after only 1 hour. I absolutely could not believe this procedure fixed the iPod Nano LCD Screen after it got wet!

My next steps would have beeen to take the iPod apart then order a new screen for $29.95 + shipping or call Apple Care. I am glad I didn't have to resort to those options.

iTunes 8.0.1.11 - Windows Version Only

I downloaded and installed iTunes 8.0.1.11 for Windows and iTunes 8.0.1 for the Mac today. There were some reports of some users having problems synching their iPhones after installing this release. I didn't encounter any issues. Here is a list of its new features.

Apple has released iTunes 8.0.1, a significant update to the media playback/purchase, and device synchronization tool.

Among the enhancements in this release:

• Seamlessly plays the current song when creating a new Genius playlist.
• Improves syncing spoken menus to iPod nano.
• Addresses an issue of deleting HD TV episodes when downloading.
• Improves checking for updates from the App Store
• Improves accessibility with VoiceOver.
• Addresses problems syncing Genius results to iPod.
  

TV Converter Box Tutorial

Here is a great Hulu tutorial video about the TV Converter Boxes you may need for some of your non-cable or non-satellite TVs or for your parents. You will need the boxes by February 17, 2009. If you need to order one for them, go to: https://www.dtv2009.gov/

Charles Schwab Brokerage Accounts - Is Schwab Safe?

In recent days, I have been following both the Senate and House Bailout Bill hearings. During this time, I wondered, "how safe is online broker Charles Schwab & Co.?" Today, I received an email from Benjamin L. Bingeman, Executive Vice President Investor Services with a subject line: Schwab's stability and ways we can help.

The most important items in his letter:

• Schwab brokerage asssets are held separately from the company's asssets and are covered by SIPC or Securities Investor Protection Corporation.
  
• Schwab Bank deposits are FDIC-insured.

So who is SIPC ? How much does it cover and if Schwab brokerage accounts are protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation? Can I then surmise that it is likely my brokerage accounts are safe with Charles Schwab & Co. I looked through SPIC's member database and noticed that all of the brokerage firms in the recent news were in their database.

Here is some info on SIPC from Wikipedia.

The Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) is a federally mandated non-profit corporation in the United States that protects securities investors from harm if a broker/dealer defaults. Investors are not insured for any potential loss while invested in the market.

SIPC was created by the 1970 Securities Investor Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. § 78aaa et seq, but it is not a government agency; rather, it is a membership corporation funded by its members.

SIPC serves two primary roles in the event that a broker-dealer fails. First, SIPC acts to organize the distribution of customer cash and securities to investors. Second, to the extent a customer's cash and/or securities are unavailable, SIPC provides insurance coverage up to $500,000 of the customer's net equity balance including up to $100,000 in cash.

House Bailout Bill

Here is a link to the House Bailout Bill text.

http://www.theopenhouseproject.com/2008/09/28/house-bailout-bill/

Bank of America Online Banking Site Down - B of A Site Down

I just confirmed with Bank of America Online Banking Customer Support that access to their online banking site is down. It's been down on Monday, September 22, 2008 since about 2 p.m. Eastern Time and they do not expect it to be back up until 5:00 p.m. or sooner.

I am not surprised that they don't mention of it on their website. The Bank of America website log-in error message received in my browser was:

Connection Interrupted
The Connection to the server was reset while the page was loading
The network link was interrupted while negotiating a connection. Please try again.

Upgrading my MacBook to OS X 10.5.5

I upgraded my MacBook today to OS X 10.5.5

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2405

Here's a list of the fixes.

General

• Includes recent Apple security updates.
• Addresses stability issues with video playback, processor core idling, and remote disc sharing for MacBook Air.
• Addresses an issue in which some Macs could unexpectedly power on at the same time each day.
• Resolves a stability issue in TextEdit that could be found when accessing the color palette.
• Improves Spotlight indexing performance.
• Fixes an issue in which contacts might not sync properly with PalmOS-based devices.
• Improves iPhone sync reliability with iCal and Address Book.
• Includes improvements to Active Directory (see this article for more information).
• Improves Speech Dictionary.
• Fixes Kerberos authentication issues for Mac OS X 10.5 clients that connect to certain Samba servers, such as Mac OS X Server version 10.4.
• Includes extensive graphics enhancements.

Address Book

• Addresses stability issues that may occur when creating a Smart Group.
• Resolves a printing issue with address cards containing information that spans more than one page.

Disk Utility and Directory Utility

• Improves reliability when rebuilding a software mirror RAID volume in Disk Utility.
• Improves reliability of server status displayed in Directory Utility.

iCal

• Updates iCal to more accurately handle repeating events.
• Improves performance when choosing meeting attendees.
• Resolves an issue in which the "Refresh All" option may be dimmed ("grayed out") in the contextual menu for certain calendars.
• Fixes issues with read-only calendars.
• Addresses an issue that prevents an invitee from moving an event to a different calendar.
• Resolves an issue with syncing published calendars.

Mail

• Addresses performance issues related to displaying IMAP messages.
• Resolves an issue with SMTP settings for AIM, Compuserve, Hanmail, Yahoo!, and Time Warner Road Runner email accounts.
• Addresses stability issues that may occur when dragging a file to the Mail icon in the Dock.
• Addresses an issue with the "Organized by Thread" view in which the date does not appear when the thread is collapsed.
• Resolves an issue in which RSS feeds could temporarily disappear from the sidebar.
• Improves Mail robustness when sending messages.
• Improves reliability when saving drafts that have attachments.

MobileMe

• Improves overall sync reliability.
• Improves Back to My Mac reliability.

Time Machine

• Improves Time Machine reliability with Time Capsule.
• Addresses performance issues that may affect initial and in-progress backups.
• Fixes an issue in which an incorrect alert message could appear stating that a backup volume does not have enough free space.
• Time Machine can now back up iPhone backups that are on your Mac, as well as other items in (~/Library/Application Support).

Upgrading My iPhone to 2.1

I upgraded my iPhone to 2.1 last weekend on my MacBook. For whatever reason, I have not been able to upgrade my iPhone firmware or iPhone software on my Dell laptop. I have tried all the work-arounds but it always freezes. My work-around is to synch my iPhone to my Dell laptop, upgrade it on my MacBook and then re-synch on my Dell laptop.

This works for me!

Upgrading My iPod Touch 2.0.2 to iPod Touch 2.1 - it worked!

I just hate being the iPhone IT guy in my household. Every time Apple releases an update (which is a good thing), I need to ensure every computer's iTunes is updated and I need to spend the time waiting as the new iPhone firmware is installed on the device.

Today, despite warnings from the iPhone Atlas website to not upgrade my iTouch to version 2.1, I went ahead and rolled the dice and...IT WORKED!

I wanted to add that I use a Dell Windows XP laptop as my main computer since I am a Microsoft Outlook user. For whatever reason, I've never been able to install the iPhone or iTouch firmware updates on my Dell and I have instead used my MacBook to install them. After I install the new firmware on my iPhone or iTouch, re-synch on my Dell Windows XP laptop. I've gone through and tried just about everything including deleting old iPhone restore files but it's never worked, it always hangs.

Here are the steps I used to upgrade to the new iTouch 2.1 firmware and iTunes 8.0.

1. Using my Dell windows laptop, I downloaded iTunes 8.0 installed and synched my iTouch. When I received the message to download the new iTouch 2.1 firmware, I did not select or declined those options. I unplugged my iTouch from my Dell Windows laptop and plugged in my iTouch device to my MacBook.
   
2. Using my MacBook I downloaded and install iTunes 8.0. When I received the message to download and install the new iTouch 2.1 update. I clicked Download only, because I like to do it in two steps in case something goes wrong.
3. Using my MacBook, after the iTouch 2.1 software has downloaded, click the iTunes Summary tab and click Update. When prompted with any warning that my iPod Touch was synched to another device, I clicked No and continued with the installation. I did respond yes to the prompt to transfer songs from my device to the MacBook iTunes. The udpate went fast and I did not encounter any issues. When this process finished, I unplugged my iPod Touch and plugged it in to my Dell Windows laptop.
   
4. Using my Dell Windows laptop, I synched my iTouch.

I'm now using the new iTouch 2.1 Software. On Friday I'll update my household of iPhones.

New Scrabble Two Letter Words: QI, ZA, FE, KI, OI

I owe an apology to Hasbro, the makers of the new iPhone Scrabble game. Both my W and I accused Hasbro of allowing the new iPhone Scrabble game computer player to play the two letter words, FE, KI, OI, QI and ZA. It ends up that according to the National Scrabble Association Dictionary Committee site, these words have been added to the Fourth Edition of the Official Scrabble Dictionary. I will be ordering mine on Amazon today. It looks like I'll also need a new electronic dictionary since there is no upgrade path for my old one.

OSPD4 New 2s and 3s

Here is a list of the new two- and three-letter words in the fourth edition of the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary.

New Two-Letter Words and Their Inflections
FE, FES
n a Hebrew letter
KI, KIS
n the vital force in Chinese thought
OI
interj oy
QI, QIS
n the vital force that in Chinese thought is inherent in all things
ZA, ZAS
n a pizza

Other Entries Containing New Three-Letter Words
AG, AGS
n agriculture
AHI, AHIS
n a marine food fish
AH, AHS, AHED, AHING
v aah
APO, APOS
n a type of protein
APP, APPS
n a computer program for a major task
BES, BESES
n beth
CIG, CIGS
n a cigarette
CRU, CRUS
n a grade or class of wine
DAN, DANS
n a level or skill in martial arts
DEF, DEFFER, DEFFEST
n excellent
DIF, DIFS
n diff
DUH
interj used to indicate that something just stated is too obvious
ED, EDS
n education
EEK
interj used to express sudden fright
FAB, FABS
n sudden created or constructed
FAB, FABBER, FABBEST
adj fabulous
GO, GOS
n a Japanese board game
IGG, IGGS, IGGED, IGGING
v to ignore
KYE, KYES
n a private Korean-American banking club
MEG, MEGS
n a megabyte
MIC, MICS
n a microphone
MYC, MYCS
n a gene that transforms a normal cell into a cancerous cell
NEG, NEGS
n a photographic negative
OBA, OBAS
n a hereditary chief in Benin and Nigeria
ODA, ODAS
n a room in a harem
ONO, ONOS
n a large mackerel
PST
interj psst
RAI, RAIS
n a style of popular Algerian music
SOM, SOMS
n a monetary unit of Kyrgyzstan
SUK, SUKS
n souk
URP, URPS, URPED, URPING
v to vomit
UTE, UTES
n a utility vehicle
VID, VIDS
n a video
VUM
interj used to express surprise
YAG, YAGS
n a synthetic garnet
ZEP, ZEPS
n a long sandwich
ZUZ
n an ancient Hebrew silver coin
ZZZ
interj used to suggest the sound of snoring

Reference
National Scrabble Association Site

iTunes Store Credit Unavilable Error Message

Using iTunes, I was trying to download a free video and a free iPhone application and received the error message, Store Credit Unavailable - this appears to be a widespread problem with the iTunes Store. I hope Apple fixes this problem soon!

iPhone Photos

Today I attended an event at the American Airlines Arena to Honor Dwyane Wade for helping the Redeem Team capture the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Before I rushed out of the house, I thought about taking my Canon Digital Camera with its telephoto lens, but usually I get stopped at Pro Sporting events -- they won't let you take a camera in with a removable lens or one with a telephoto lens over a certain size. There have been times during the "heated dicussion" with the arena staff that I have just walked off with my camera in hand ignoring them.

So today, I left the camera at home and took these shots with my iPhone. Not too bad, but not to great either. I need to find a smaller digital camera in 2009. I went to borrow my W's but it was in her purse where it should be.

3G Speeds in Some Cities Much Faster - Winston, Salem, NC vs. Miami, FL

I'm getting a AT&T 3G upload speed of 5,932 in Winston-Salem, NC compared to only 3,038 in Miami, FL. I also notice I get 4 bars on my AT&T Communications Manager in some cities such as Jacksonville, FL and Winston, Salem, NC.

iPhone 2.0.2 firmware Upgrade

I have a Dell Windows laptop that I have never been able to upgrade my iPhone or iTouchwith. I can backup and synchronize without incident, but it always freezes with the Dell. To upgrade, I use my MacBook. Today I will install the new iPhone 2.0.2 upgrade.

Amazon 2.0 - Web 2.0 - Books 2.0

My nephew, a high school junior sent me an email the other day asking me if I could help him buy a book on the Internet he needs for school. With all the technological advancements on the Internet, I thought this would be a very simple task. It was not. Normally, you would think I would be able to find any book you need on the big three:

• Amazon.com
• BarnesAndNoble.com
• Borders.com

Unfortunately, this book was out of stock at all of these sites and I was furthermore shocked to find that some third parties had this book retailing online for anywhere from $28.98 to $158.99 including shipping. In addition, I discovered the following:

• Amazon.com -- It was was almost impossible to find the ISBN number or the publication date on this site. Even with the used books, the publication date was not listed -- why would any student want to buy a book with an old publication date, especially to study for a 2009 Advanced Placement Test.
  
• BarnesAndNoble.com - this site contained the ISBN number 97815676556602 and the Publication date. This site also allowed you to find the book at their stores, unfortunately, they were sold out.
  
• Google Shopping -- http://www.google.com/products?q=9781567656602&hl=en&show=dd - This site listed the range of prices from $23.00 to $208.00 not including shipping but did not include the publication date of the book. It did list the publisher AMSCO School Publications Incorporated (2004) which I subsequently used to find the publisher website. It listed the range of prices form $23. 00 to $208.00.
  
• CheapBooks.com -- This site was suggested by my daughter, but was not useful.
  

I ended up buying this book direct from the Publisher at the site below for $17.00 plus shipping.

http://amsco.extendsales.com/AMSCOPUB/control/productdetails?&item_id=9781567656602

In the end, with all the advancements made on the Internet such as Web 2.0, the best deal I could find for buying a book on the Internet was direct from the Publisher's website. It required finding the ISBN number, finding publisher's name and ordering it over the phone. It sounds like even with Web 2.0, Book Shopping 2.0 or Amazon 2.0, we're still not quite there yet.

Apple iPhone and iPod Touch Backup Times

The backup process on the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch appear to take a very long period of time, sometimes several hours or more. I assume transferring all of the data over USB 2.0 just takes a very long time. I also think if you store a large amount of email messages on your phone that it significantly increases the backup time. When I am in a hurry and can't wait for the backup process, I usually click to cancel the backup so that the synchronization process is triggered. When I get a chance, I will be looking for some other work-arounds here.

Will the iPhone 2.0.1 fix the White Apple Logo Screen of Death

I will install the Apple iPhone 2.0.1 update and hope it finally resolves the White Apple Logo Screen of Death issues.

With the iPhone 2.0, I was usually able to resolve this by holding [Home] for 10 or more seconds and patiently waiting for my iPhone main menu to reappear.

Here are the previous steps I've used to address the White Apple Logo Screen of Death.

- The the iPhone crashes or freezes and tries to reboot displaying the black screen with the apple logo (iPhone Black Screen of Death)

- A black start screen with the white Apple logo appears then immediately quits.

Here are the steps that I've been using to address these issues.

1. RESET APPLICATION

Press and hold the [Home] button for at least ten seconds, until the application you are using quits.

2. TURN IPHONE OFF

Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button for a few seconds until the red slider appears and then slide the slider. Then press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until the white Apple logo appears.

3. RESET IPHONE

Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button until the Apple log appears.

4. REDOCK THE IPHONE

Reattach the phone to iTunes.

5. DELETE IPHONE APPLICATION AND RESYNC

Delete the application from the iPhone by pressing and holding any icon until they start jiggling. Then click X in the top left of the application to delete it.

Resync your iPhone.

6. DELETE THE APPLICATION FROM ITUNES AND RESYNC

Delete the application from the iPhone by pressing and holding any icon until they start jiggling. Then click X in the top left of the application to delete it.

Delete the application from iTunes. (note: if your application is deleted from both iTunes and your iPhone you can still re-download it without paying for it twice.)

Resync your iPhone.

7. Apple iCare or the Apple Store
I noticed that some people have called Apple iCare or setup an appointment at the Apple Store to resolve this. I have not yet used any of those options.

The Web 2.0 Bubble Video

From the SocialMediaBarCamp meeting

Cuil.com - A new Search Engine - First look

Here are my initial thoughts about cuil.com (pronounced "cool"), the search engine by several former Google employees.

• Today it timed out several times, although I'm sure they will eventually fix that (i.e. the Twitter message, too much traffic.)
• The images in the search results are not very relevant, i..e. when I search or cuil myself, the first result is correctly my linkedin.com profile page but I get some Asian characters rather than a photo. That's a little bit annoying...
  
• I don't think it's as relevant as Google, not that Google is always that relevant.
• I will say that it bothers me not to see any ads....or maybe the fact that I can't protect my beachhead and insert my ads.
  

In any regard, it's nice to see some healthy competition which will hopefully result in lower keyword advertising prices.

AT&T 3G Speed - How fast is it?

With the launch of the Apple iPhone 3G, I was concerned about my AT&T about the speed of my AT&T LaptopConnect service. I am currently using the Sierra Wireless USBConnect 881 card. Listed below are the 3G network connect speeds I am getting. this is after the launch of the iPhone 3G.

Updating iPhone Applcations - Steps to Install iPhone Updates

After downloading my first iPhone App or Application, I wondered if the third party developer upgraded their application:

1. Would I get the free upgrade?
2. How would I be notified of the upgrade?

I finally figured it out the answers to these questions and it prompted some other issues too.

3. First of all, the App Store icon will have a number in the upper right corner notifying you if an application update is available. If you tap it, you will be given a list of the updates available to your iPhone, similar to Mac Software Update or Windows Update.

I, tried to update some of the applications from wireless home network while sitting on the couch watching television. What I discovered is that most of the applications that were previously crashing or were not operational were on the list, i.e. Version 1.0.1, 1.1, 1.2 etc. I also discovered the following:

4. The best way to upgrade is to do so from your PC. Open iTunes, under Library click Applications. On the rigth bottom of the screen, click "Check for Updates". The upgrading worked best for me if I upgraded while connected to iTunes and with my phone connected to my PC rather than using the iPhone connected to your home wireless network. After you upgrade and synch, your updated applications will be installed.

Note: If you are upgrading using your home wireless network or Edge (not advisable, it takes forever) the application updating goes through several steps: a) You tap Update and/or Install on your iPhone or iPod Touch Upgrade Application Screen and you wait a few seconds or more then the application icon would be displayed on the screen with; b) A "Loading" message a progress bar displayed under the application icon; c) An "Installing" with the progress bar displayed under the icon; d) If the application upgrade was successful the Application title name would appear under the icon.

During this upgrade installation/loading time, I wondered if I could use the other features on the iPhone without causing an installation issue? I ran some test including dialing my phone and I was able to receive a call while the application was installing.

There is an Update All screen. When I clicked on this for six applications needing updates, it took about 25 minutes (similar to Windows Update and much longer than most Mac Software Updates). This is probably the best option but I'm still not sure what happens if an error occurs with one of the software updates.

7. Lastly, some of the applications took a very long time to install both when using a PC and without, so make sure you have set aside more than just a few minutes to do this.

Here is a new KB article on the Apple Support Site listing this process.

iPhone Applications Crashing - Steps to Resolve

I've encountered several incidents of iPhone 2.0 Applications crashing when they are launched.

- The the iPhone crashes or freezes and tries to reboot displaying the black screen with the apple logo (iPhone Black Screen of Death)

- A black start screen with the Apple logo appears then immediately quits.

Here are the steps that I've been using to address these issues.

1. RESET APPLICATION

Press and hold the [Home] button for at least six seconds, until the application you are using quits.

2. TURN IPHONE OFF

Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button for a few seconds until the red slider appears and then slide the slider. Then press and hold the Sleep/Wake button unti the Apple logo appears.

3. RESET IPHONE

Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button until the Apple log appears.

4. REDOCK THE IPHONE

Reattach the phone to iTunes.

5. DELETE IPHONE APPLICATION AND RESYNC

Delete the application from the iPhone by pressing and holding any icon until they start jiggling. Then click X in the top left of the application to delete it.

Resync your iPhone.

6. DELETE THE APPLICATION FROM ITUNES AND RESYNC

Delete the application from the iPhone by pressing and holding any icon until they start jiggling. Then click X in the top left of the application to delete it.

Delete the application from iTunes. (note: if your application is deleted from both iTunes and your iPhone you can still re-download it without paying for it twice.)

Resync your iPhone.

iPhone Applications Freezing - iPhone Black Screen of Death

I've seen another variation of iPhone Applications issues. Here it is:

1. When iPhone applications are launched, they will show a black start screen with the Apple logo then immediately quit.

Here are two possible work-arounds:

A) Delete iPhone Application and Resync

1. Delete the application from the iPhone by pressing and holding any icon until they start jiggling. Then click X in the top left of the application to delete it.

2. Resync your iPhone.

B) Delete iPhone and iTunes Application and Resync

1. Delete the application from the iPhone by pressing and holding any icon until they start jiggling. Then click X in the top left of the application to delete it.

2. Delete the application from iTunes. (note: if your application is deleted from both iTunes and your iPhone you can still re-download it without paying for it twice.)

3. Resync your iPhone.

There is speculation that this issue is related to Digital Rights Managment embedded in the iPhone Applications. If you have multiple PCs with multiple versions of iTunes or multiple devices (iPhones, iTouches).

iPhone 2.0 Black Screen of Death

When using iPhone 2.0 applications, I've seen the iPhone Black Screen of Death (not to be confused with the M$ Blue Screen of Death) several times. It occurs when accessing some iPhone Applications. When it occurs, here are the steps I used to reset my iPhone.It would be nice to see a KB article on the Apple or A$ site!

1. Turn iPhone off and on -- Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button for a few seconds until the red slider appears and then slide the slider. Then press and hold the Sleep/Wake button unti the Apple logo appears.

2. Press and hold the [Home] button for at least six seconds, until the application you are using quits. (This worked several times for me.)

3. Reset the Phone - Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button until the Apple log appears. (This worked for me serveral times).

4. Reattach the phone to iTunes. (This always worked but my laptop was always with me.)

iPhone 2.0 Upgrade - Restoring iPhone Software - won't restore

When upgrading to my iPhone 1.0 Edge to the new iPhone 2.0 software using my Dell laptop, the restore would would always freeze at the end of the Restoring iPhone Software dialog box below. Apple has a KB article on how to fix this, but none of those options ever worked for me. The last time this occurred, I had to bring my iPhone to Apple and they gave me a new phone.


Here was the only option that worked for me today.

1. I synched my iPhone on my Dell. This is my main PC since I use Microsoft Outlook and all of my iTunes songs etc. on on this computer.
2. I synched my iPhone on a MacBook and downloaded the iPhone 2.0 Software but did not intall it.
3. I installed the iPhone 2.0 Software or firmware update on my Dell Laptop and started the upgrade process. It backed up my iPhone and started the upgrade process. When the screen appeared to lock (it was at the above screen for almost a hour) I disconnected the iPhone from the USB cable.
3. I connected my iPhone which displayed the Connect to iTunes screen to my MacBook and followed the screen prompts to install the iPhone 2.0 software.
4. The Apple Activation servers were down at the time so I had to click [OK] and Music and the iPhone until it finally gave me the activation screen.
5. When the activation and restore was completed, my iPhone was activated but my iPhone contacts, calendar and settings were missing. I connected my iPhone to my Dell laptop and followed the screen prompts to restore the iPhone software.

It worked! I am now running my iPhone Edge on the new iPhone 2.0 software! It's very cool!

iTunes Store Down - An unknown error occurred (-9838)

As of 10:20 a.m. today E.T., The iTunes Store is down for iPhone activations. Here are the error messages you receive using the Mac and Windows. There servers are no doubt over loaded because of all the users trying to upgrade to iPhone 2.0. I'm sure some are having problems installing this upgrade which will make their phone unsable if they can't restore.

Mac iTunes Error Message



Windows Error Message

iPhone 2.0 5A347 218.2 MB Now Available

iPhone 2.0 North America update

At 8:22 a.m. Eastern Time, I just downloaded this file from iTunes on my Mac. It was available from iTunes when I clicked Check Update. The file name is:

iPhone1,1_2.0_5A347_Restore.ipsw

The file size is: 218.2 MB on disk

I have a 4GB iPhone 1.0.

I just noticed as of 9:00 a.m., it is now available on Windows too.

iTunes 7.7 now available on Mac OS only

iTunes 7.7 is now available for download on Mac OS Software Update. The actual version number is 7.7 (43). It is not available for Windows yet. This update is the first step to installing or upgrading the new Apple iPhone Software from 1.1.4 to the new Apple iPhone Software 2.0 on July 11, 2008.

If you are planning on upgrading to the new iPhone 3G, I would make sure you backup and synchronize your iPhone prior to upgrading. That said, it is possible that your phone can become locked or damaged during the upgrade process and if you are not technical, you might want to wait for several weeks to put on the upgrade since the Apple Stores and AppleCare Telephone Technical Support wil be very busy on and after the July 11, 2008 iPhone 3G launch.

See this link from the Apple website for more info on upgrading to the iPhone 3G.

iPhone 3G - July 11, 2008 Info

Here is some info on the iPhone 3G launch on July 11, 2008 that I found on the web.

• Apple iPhone 3G Upgrade KB article

Firefox 3 Rocks

I finally was able to get Firefox 3 installed on all my computers. Here's the final link:

Firefox 3 Download Page

It rocks, here is a list of all the features Firefox 3 Features.

Firefox 3 Download Link at www.getfirefox.com

The Firefox 3 Download site does not appear to be very reliable. So much for World Records....

According to the a mozilla developer center. Here is the official download link:
www.getfirefox.com

Although I couldn't get that page to load so here's where I downloaded my copy for Windows. In addition, here are some other Firefox download links "caveat emptor".

Digg.com Windows version

A download site with all versions

Firefox 3 Download Day June 17, 2008 Starts at 1PM ET, 12PM CT, 11AM MT, 10AM PT

For news, finance and sports national events are usually scheduled based on East Coast Time. Today, the Firefox 3 Download Day Official Start Time is scheduled based on Pacific Time (Silicon Valley, California USA). This is 1PM Eastern Time or -4 GMT. In many countries it will be 18 June 2008 for this Download Day in which an attempt will be made to set the Guinness World Record for most software downloaded in 24 hours.

Here is a link to download Firefox 3

Download Firefox

Here is a link to the Spread Firefox Site: