Marcus Hamaker is The Sleepy Geek

In a blog post this morning Google has announced that they are releasing Google Navigation for 11 new countries – Canada being one of them. Well now isn’t that a bit of a game changer. I have a GPS but to have it all in one device; that’s an amazing thing. I have been really excited about the new iPhone, the multitasking, the new camera and all the apps possibilities but now these kinds of things (conveniently being announced now) make me think.

My issue living in Canada is up to date availability. I am pretty much locked in with Rogers. We have to sign contracts to get good deals which sucks. I am used it to it, but it sucks. The iPhone will be available for Rogers but I really wish an Android model newer than version 1.6 would come along. I think Telus has a 2.0 model but it doesn’t help me much.

Given that Google has released this new Maps Navigation feature in Canada if Rogers were to get an Android Froyo version phone I would be VERY tempted to go in that direction. Questions would have to be answered regarding the UI however – you never really know what you’ll find until you have the exact model phone. Most of the vendors that use Android now modify the UI for their own unit.

In the end I just want Rogers to give me that option of having to choose. Right now there is no choice. Even a Blackberry – there are some cool models coming so GET ONE! The only issue is that Maps Navigation is only available on Android units.

Geek on!

Easy as you can believe – http://www.google.com/

I can’t believe that I didn’t see this until 2:45 in the afternoon. Have fun, it will go by the end of the day I am sure!

Geek on!

I guess Microsoft and Apple have made it pretty standard to announce things via a big keynote. Google is doing the same.

You can find Engadget coverage here.

You can also watch live coverage here at Twit.tv.

Geek on!

I have been running both Woopra and Google Analytics for a long time and both give me the same historical data but nothing matches Woopra’s live features. I am tired of getting email updates about things that happened in the past from Google and so in the end I am dropping them.

I wrote a post in October 2009 about Woopra when I first heard of it and installed it on TheSleepyGeek but I kept Google Analytics around for good measure. After all my history was all there and I didn’t know if I could fully trust Woopra yet. Well here we are 6 or 7 months later and I am full on Woopra. It’s to the point now where I don’t even look at historical data anymore. You can see how a post or a Tweet about something affects your traffic right away. You don’t have to compare what you did yesterday to when you did something yesterday. TIME SAVER!

Since my post there have been some good improvements. Here is a list of things they had released in the Woopra 1.4 version of their desktop client:

• Inbound Web Chat: The ability to to have your visitors ping you and say “Let’s chat!” from the website. We’ve been testing the new Woopra Chat Widget and the feedback has been great. Expect this to evolve over time.
• Live Visitor Info Panel for Web Chat: We’ve expanded the Woopra Live Chat to feature a panel within the Desktop Client so you can watch visitors move through the site during the conversation.
• Updated Notifications: We’ve redone our event notifications to create a scrollable list for review, so you can track what’s going on even if you leave your desk.
• Monthly Usage Meter: You can now track your Woopra Plan’s monthly usage right on the Woopra Desktop Client.
• Woopra Member Access: We’ve expanded access from the Woopra Desktop Client to include direct links and access to the Woopra Members area to set settings and customization.
• Improved Firewall Connections: We’ve exanded Woopra to include the standards web port 80 in addition to 11228, to help you connect from behind most firewalls.
• Calendar Functionality Improved: We’ve done away with the vague stats like All-Time Visitors and brought you more of the stats you need like daily, weekly, and monthly summaries in the updated Calendar feature, along with an easy to see chart to let you know when your average high points are for hourly traffic.
• IP Range Filtering for Exclude Visitors: You can now exclude visitors from being tracked with wild cards, so you don’t track the whole office through your visitor stats.
• Single Simultaneous Login Enforcement: For your protection and privacy, and to keep Woopra running faster for everyone, we’ve implemented a common practice of restricting access from multiple locations. If you move from one computer or location, please log out in order to log in elsewhere. If you wish to share your Woopra stats with others, simply share your Woopra stats with any registered Woopra Member. Then two or more can log in at the same time.

The chat feature they speak of is pretty cool. I have jumped in and chatted with a few visitors, it an be really informative.

Have fun with it in the end. Like I mentioned above, you can see how every action has an effect on your site. Post a Tweet, wait and see if it comes in. Post a blog entry, make a change and let people know. See how Facebook entries affect traffic. It’s all there :)

Geek on!

Skype has become the de facto standard for internets based VOIP (voice over IP) and even in the last few years when others have come to the table, it doesn’t seem like they even make a mark. Skype can do something that most others can’t. That is to offer free Skype-Skype calling and then offer paid Skype to telephone calling at a competitive rate.

Google Voice and Video Chat

The question is – Is that what you need? Skype is great if that’s what you are looking for but it’s heavy compared to other solutions. One of my favorite alternatives is Google’s Voice and Video chat. By going to Google’s Voice and Video Chat page you can download a small web browser plugin to allow you to check through Google Chat. More and more people are using Google Chat so this is a very quick way to keep in touch.

The video algorithm seems very good and I have had luck with this in the past when even Skype seemed to have trouble maintaining a reliable connection.

As you can see from the image, this simply puts the option into your Google Chat window so using it is no harder than clicking on the video button while you are chatting with a friend. When you are done, close the window and the communication is stopped and you are back to what you were doing before.

To be honest sometimes I feel Skype to be a bit of a system hog so when I travel at the beginning of June, this is most likely what I will be using to call back home and talk to the kiddies. They love to see dad on the computer, it’s a huge step in the right direction for them when I am away. w00t!

Make sure to use a headset with video chat like this though. Skype can do an ok job at separating what is coming from your speakers and going into your mic to avoid feedback but most of the other video chats such as this are just better off with earphones.

Geek on!

If you have Google.com set to your home page, when you open your browser this morning you are in for a surprise!

According to a blog post from Google they have changed their name due to the gesture done in reverse from the town of Topeka, Kansas.

Early last month the mayor of Topeka, Kansas stunned the world by announcing that his city was changing its name to Google. We’ve been wondering ever since how best to honor that moving gesture. Today we are pleased to announce that as of 1AM (Central Daylight Time) April 1st, Google has officially changed our name to Topeka.

You can read the full article here.

One of the funnier things that is listed in the article is the “Topeka how-to chart”:

I love the 4th one that makes reference to Alta Vista! And so that’s it folks, Topeka is now Google and Google is now Topeka. Messed up man!

Have a good day and welcome to April.

Geek on!

Google has just release Buzz. This is a new service for sharing things and it’s built right into Gmail. The first thing that I looked for was how long it would be before they would roll this out in Google Apps for people who have hosted email for their own domain. Answer – a few months. From their enterprise blog:

Today the Gmail team introduced Google Buzz, a new feature that lets individuals share links, photos, and other updates with their network of contacts – or with the whole world – right within Gmail. Google Buzz helps people kick off conversations around information that people find mutually interesting.

Within a few months, we also plan to make Google Buzz available to businesses and schools using Google Apps, with added features for sharing within your organization. Stay tuned, and for more information about using Google Buzz with your personal Gmail account, head over to the Gmail blog or visit buzz.google.com.

The service itself looks really cool. They have done something far more simple than Facebook and their typical simpler approach to things quite often works well in the real world. Time will tell.

I like this video they put together to show how it works -

Geek on!

I have been with Rogers for quite some time and I am a bit of a phone junkie. I can’t afford to change it all that often but when my renewal comes up I like to hop on and check out what’s available. With the release of the Nexus I was very curious to know how much it would cost so that I could remain on my current 3 year contract and not renew it due to a phone upgrade. That would give me a better choice when in a couple of years because I wouldn’t be penalized for switching. Blah blah blah right?

So off I head to the Google page and it’s quite a nice looking device. I had an HTC in the past but it sucked because it ran Windows mobile on it and it was an older version. But I liked the hardware itself so I think the fact that HTC made the hardware is a good thing. The Nexus is running Google Android and if you have seen the Motorola Droid then you have seen what it can do. The price tag for this thing is $530 USD with no contract. That’s playing fair if you ask me. Sometimes phones of this caliber come out at $600, $700 or more! It’s nice to see it in the $500 range.

Now that we agree (right?) that this is a nice looking device – WAIT! If you are an iPhone user in the US looking to switch to something else but stick with AT&T, this isn’t the phone for you. If you are a Rogers customer and looking for something else, this isn’t the phone for you. Google has gone with 3G frequencies that are not supported by either carrier… boooo! They had to make a choice so I don’t fault them for it – it’s just as much my fault for being a Rogers subscriber :)

An excerpt from their “Does this phone work with my SIM?” page clearly points out the two carriers:

The Nexus One’s antenna supports four GSM radio frequencies (850/900/1800/1900) and three 3G/UMTS Bands – 1/4/8 (2100/AWS/900). These cover most major GSM mobile providers worldwide; however, the 3G band used by AT&T and Rogers is not supported. For questions about the bands supported by your mobile service provider, please contact your provider directly. You may also consult a list of GSM coverage worldwide that is maintained by the mobile trade organization GSM World.

So a cool phone that I can’t have. Incidentally I can’t have the iPhone either due to my corporate contract – another boo! I have decided for now to keep my doors open. I will check my Rogers site every once in a while and see what upgrades they offer. So far no Android 2.x so I am holding out.

Geek on!

Google has been working on a new search results page and we now know how to access it. Doing this will make all future search results appear with the new format unless you delete the Google.com cookie.

To access the new search page you need to go to www.google.com (if you use a local search such as www.google.ca then this will not work – you can click on Go To Google.com on the main page). Once you have accessed the main .com site then you need to remove all the test from your address bar (including the http://) and place the following test there:

javascript:void(document.cookie=”PREF=ID=20b6e4c2f44943bb:U=4bf292d46faad806:TM=1249677602:LM=1257919388:S=odm0Ys-53ZueXfZG;path=/; domain=.google.com”);


Once the text is in the address bar you can hit enter to load or press the go button in your browser.

This new search result page has a nice look to it. The question I haven’t answered to myself yet is – will it benefit me in any way. Google.com has always been functional due to its simplicity.

Here is a before:

And here is the new look:

I think I like it esthetically but will I be as quick to find what I am looking for. Time will tell – I want to here what you think as well!

Geek on :)

When I first heard about this I was really surprised that we needed the translation results quicker than Google was already dishing them out. I mean how hard is it to type your text, press translate and see the results? Not hard at all.

But then I watched the video… and Google has just made a simple change which makes the page flow cleaner. I took a quick look at the site and when I translate something with no real purpose I usually go English to Dutch as my father is from Holland. I spent most of my youth listening to him and my Oma talking to each other and wish I could speak it now.

A quick type in the box and I got this: Dit is leuk. Ik wou dat ik kon spreken Nederlands!

That got me thinking really. They need to make this a mobile app. Put this on all the iPhones and Blackberries out there and you replace all the pocket translators in a second!

If you are also daring enough to trust Google outright, you could use this to learn common phrases of a language and teach yourself how to speak it. Good luck with the accent though.

Take a look at the video, it’s a fun view :)

Happy translating,

Geek on!