Watching Grass Grow or Video Conversion

So you spent a truck load of cash to build the worlds most powerful home super computer but your not a gamer. You managed to convince your wife somehow you need this kind of power for touching up family pictures or creating that musical master piece. You won't be able to prove this me. The only other reason you need this kind of horsepower is for video conversion.

Express video conversion software MediaShow Espresso is for converting your videos for playback on your smart phone, iPhone, iPad, PSP, Xbox 360, on YouTube, and more.

I'm only going to write about how this new software is taking advantage of the capability of the investment you made making your PC a virtual super computer. Many of the other features available can be seen at the web site.

http://www.cyberlink.com/products/mediashow-espresso/overview_en_US.html

The software uses multi core CPU's processing muscle to transcode videos. Support for multi-threading allows MediaShow Espresso to utilize up to 4 processing cores at once.

They also utilize the stream processors in your GPU to convert your videos faster than ever with optimization for hardware acceleration technologies from Intel® Core™ i3, i5, and i7; NVIDIA® CUDA™; and ATI® Stream™.

CyberLink is leveraging ATI's Unified Video Decoder (UVD) in its MediaShow Espresso video converter application. This allows it to quickly convert digital video files for use on portable devices like Apple's iPhone and Sony PSP. CyberLink has also optimized its PowerDirector 7 video editing software to take advantage of ATI Stream.

Tests conducted by ATI showed a reduction in transcoding time of at least 50% in most applications. For example, a 94 second 1920x1080 video encoded at 24 frames per second using H.264 took 131 seconds to transcode to a format suitable for the iPhone using just the CPU. It took just 46 seconds using a mid-range Radeon HD 4670 video card, reducing the time needed by almost 65%. Results would be even more dramatic using a higher end Radeon 4870 or Radeon 4890 GPU. Addition GPUs through CrossFire would provide even greater performance improvements.

So at $40 this might not be High Tech on a Budget but with $1000 dollars or more into a high end system this by comparison not only makes good sense but it is a steal.

The Cross Roads of Technology

As you know my site is High Tech on a budget but there are those very few times when something comes along that is truely at the cross roads of technology. This phone is a combination of revolutionary functionality (Google Droid OS) and superior network performance (Verizon 3G Wireless) packaged in a device with world class specifications.

The fact is that a device with this level of power and performance is a absolute steal at $200.
All the commercials and the reviews tell you all you need to know. But if that isn't good enough I bought this phone and have been nothing but amazed by every aspect. I was impressed with the iphone but not even the Droid could get me to use AT&T. I personally wouldn't buy the iphone because of how its functionality is locked down by Apple but if it were hosted by Verizon I wouldn't consider it a bad decision.

Everyone I've handed my Droid phone to has said 2 things:
1.) "It feels like I know how to use it right away."
2.) "I want this phone."


http://www.ismashphone.com/2009/11/the-motorola-droid-review-mix.html

Motorola Droid Specs:

- Carrier: Verizon <- simply the best
- Available: Now
- Networks: CDMA dual band (800/1900 MHz); CDMA2000 1xRTT/1xEV-DO rev.0/1xEV-DO rev.A
- Display: 3.7-inch screen with 854×480 (16:9 widescreen) capacitive touchscreen
- Camera: 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash and video recording
- Operating system: Google Android 2.0 OS
- Input: QWERTY keyboard, touchscreen
- CPU: 600 MHz ARM Cortex A8 Processor <- fastest on the market
- Memory: 256 MB RAM / 512 MB ROM
- Memory card: microSD/microSDHC <- comes with 16GB
- Connectivity: GPS, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm HeadPhone Jack
- Misc: AMR-NB/WB, MP3, PCM / WAV, AAC, AAC +, eAAC +, WMA
- Media: MPEG-4, H263, H264, WMV
- Form factor:
- Battery: 1400mAh Li-ion
- Talk Time: 420 minutes
- Standby Time: 450 hours
- Dimensions: 60.00 x 115.80 x 13.70 mm
- Weight: 169g

SMS - MMS from your phone to email and back

SMS gateways are the key to allowing you to use your text messaging functions to send and receive emails and media between phones text messaging and any email service.

Here is a list of address for the Cell providers:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_gateway

To send a message from email use use the phone number plus the address listed in the link for that persons cell provider.

The send a message from the phone you simply put the persons email address where the phone number might go.

Google, I love you.

Google does for phone what it did for your email. They remove the shackles and set you free.

http://www.grandcentral.com/home

I tell everyone who is nailed down to a single provider for email to get onto a online service. Yahoo and Hotmail have become unmanagable with spam. Besides that, Yahoo delays the receipt of email. When you are waiting for a email for a password code or a response you have to keep clicking the check mail button to refresh you page which forces you to refresh the ads as well. My email is delayed from 1 to 20 minutes. The same query in GMAIL I will receive the message instantly. This kind of manipulation has caused me to stop using Yahoo for anything important.

Have you ever been at the checkout of a store and forgot your discount card? They say punch in your phone number. Most of these cards have phone numbers from years ago. Imagine if you could have one number for every phone for now and in the future. Imagine if you could actually take control of and filter your calls.



http://www.grandcentral.com/home

Google has acquired GrandCentral Communications, a company that provides services for managing your voice communications. GrandCentral is a service that lets users integrate all of their existing phone numbers and voice mailboxes into one account, which can be accessed from the web. This is similiar to services provided by may VOIP companies like Vonage.

GrandCentral offers many features that complement the phone services you already use. If you have multiple phone numbers (e.g., home, work, cell), you get one phone number that you can set to ring all, some, or none of your phones, based on who's calling.

This way, your phone number is tied to you, and not your location or job. The service also gives you one central voice mailbox. You can listen to your voicemails online or from any phone, forward them to anybody, add the caller to your address book, block a caller as spam, and a lot more.

You can even listen in on voicemail messages from your phone while they are being recorded, or switch a call from your cell phone to your desk phone and back again. All in all, you'll have a lot more control over your phones.

Screen Callers
Know who's calling and screen unknown callers
ListenInTM Hear why someone is calling before taking the call
Call Record Record calls on the fly and access recordings online
Block Callers Unwanted callers won't be able to reach you anymore
Notifications Receive voicemail notifications via email or SMS

Ring Different Phones
One number that rings different phones based on who's calling
Greetings Personalize your voicemail greetings by caller or group
RingShareTM Go beyond the ring and choose ringback tones for your callers

WebCall Button
Let people call you from a web page without showing your number
CallSwitch Switch phones in the middle of a call
Click2Call Call from your addressbook and save your typing
Mobile Access Visual voicemail for your mobile phone

Let it Ring - MagicJack

http://www.magicjack.com/

If you have a teenager that needs a second or third line at home or even in a situation with roommates or adult children or parents sharing a home, this could be a low cost solution.

Also if you are out of the country think about getting a magicjack to talk to family in the US. Since the company is based in the US then calls inside the US are free. Your voice traffic will route via the Internet to the US then to the persons local phone number. As far as magicjack is concerned you will look like your calling from inside the US.

The company has a robust nationwide network that Borislow says is also a certified CLEC; the company has interconnect agreements with all the larger carriers, meaning it's not about to be shut down like some other value-cost calling operations; and as part of its initial marketing push, MagicJack plans to give away a free phone number.



The business side of MagicJack, as best as we can tell, comes from the subscription plans as well as interconnect fees paid to MagicJack's CLEC partner company (apparently called YMax Communications Corp.) whenever a MagicJack phone number is called. More details — such as additional features embedded into the product, like voicemail, conference calling, and a direct-to-Google search link — will be revealed at the "official" announcement, whenver that is. (At the current leak rate, Borislow might not have much left to tell, other than "some big marketing plan" that he kept to himself Monday.)

Test from various gadget review sites are reporting the voice quality was good. Some reported only the occasional crackle and pop, and no dropped calls. This level of quality and stability is courtesy of magicJack's proprietary network, which maintains a solid, reliable connection that the company claims can't be achieved on traditional VoIP channels. MagicJack has all of the features, voicemail (you can receive messages even when you're offline), caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding, and emergency 911 dialing.

Priced at an incredible $39.95, magicJack comes with a year's worth of service (an annual subscription runs $19.95 after that, with international prepaid packages starting for as little as $5). Although it's designed for use with a single phone line (multiple lines require a magicJack for each) and your PC has to be turned on to use it, the magicJack is a fine way to cut your monthly telephone bill.



Testing results: High voice quality. Most corporate firewalls will block the VOIP ports. There is a problem with automated menus touch tones. When call a company with a menu or if you have to enter a account number it doesn't work so well.

Good Things, Small Packages, You Got the Idea

http://www.getjar.com/
Select your device and download. That simple.

I found a nice map program for Windows mobile for example.
http://www.getjar.com/products/12351/Nav4All

Browse or search the site's list of free software by title, device, or platform.

FREEDOM not Free the dumb

I'm sorry you bought an iphone. I'm sorry Apple chose the worst cell provider in the world (AT&T). I'm sorry they are robbing you blind for the level of services they provide. Apple has chosen to enslave its customers with DRM on the IPOD so whats to stop them on the Idiot Phone. Well http://iphonesimfree.com has a legal solution.

They have 2 links from mass media outlets such as CNN where industry experts discuss product. None of this is High tech on a budget but it makes me feel good to help.

Life is a popularity contest, as we are seeing the most popular may look good on the surface but is rarely the best choice.

I don't own a iphone and can not make a recommendation. You need to make a decision for yourself based on the information provided by iphonesimfree.com (Apple could brick your phone)