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Konnect: A Basic, Flexible VoIP Phone System

Charles Hamilton — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:00:40 +0000

As a web worker, it’s useful having access to such communication tools as instant messaging, video conferencing and social media. But I still spend a lot of time on the phone, both with my colleagues in other locations and with clients. I’ve spent the last few weeks trying out the Konnect office phone system, which the manufacturer kindly lent to me.

The phones come in a couple of versions: one type is intended for use with a PBX or Asterisk server, while the version I tried doesn’t require a server.

Physically, the phone is similar in size to the Polycom SoundPoint IP 450 that I’ve been using. You can program the buttons on the right of the phone to meet your needs, and Konnect provides a template so that you can print your own labels for the buttons.

The phone has a speakerphone, which generally sounded pretty good to me, but sometimes callers complained that I didn’t sound as good as I do when speaking on the Polycom. If you prefer to use a headset, the phone includes an RJ-10 headset jack.

One feature that I really like, which I haven’t seen elsewhere, is that the phone includes an RJ-11 jack that can be used to connect a standard landline, in addition to the VoIP connections.

Konnect provides a couple of videos to get you started, one for basic setup, and one for programming the phone. If (like me) you don’t like video instructions, there’s also well-written documentation available.

The Konnect web portal lets you manage your account and set up some simple forwarding rules, but doesn’t provide for the sorts of fancy forwarding, grouping and answering rules offered by some of the VoIP services we’ve looked at in the past, including OnSIP and RingCentral.

You can buy outgoing call minutes directly from Konnect (rates vary; its service is currently priced at 3.9 cents/minute to the U.S. and Canada). But the phone can also be set up to use many different VoIP providers.

We found the phone to work very well as an intercom between colleagues. The quality of outside calls, however, varied significantly: sometimes calls were very clear, but at other times there was a lot of breakup in the connection. We tried two different VoIP providers, and had similar issues, but I couldn’t really figure out whether the problems were due to the phone, my Internet connection, or to the VoIP services we were using.

Konnect phones are sold through distributors, or you can request to get connected with a local reseller at Konnect’s website.

Have you used Konnect phones? What equipment do you use for VoIP calling?

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Buffalo CloudStor: Another Option for Remote File Access

Charles Hamilton — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 20:00:36 +0000

The Buffalo CloudStor, just announced at CES, is an external drive that has built-in capabilities allowing you to make its contents available outside your own network. As with the Pogoplug Biz and Pogoplug Video, which we’ve written about previously, users will be able to make the contents of the Buffalo CloudStor available anywhere with an Internet connection. In fact, the CloudStor uses technology from Pogoplug to make these connections possible.

CloudStor will be compatible with Mac, Windows and Linux, and won’t require installation of any special software, although the drive will come preformatted with the EXT-3 file system. Since this format is not readable by Windows PCs, Buffalo will provide a free application allowing Windows users to access their data.

None of the content on the device will actually reside in the cloud, so there will be no monthly storage charges, and you will be able to decide which content you wish to make available. Of course, you will be able to limit unauthorized access.

In addition to its Internet capabilities, CloudStor offers many traditional network attached storage features, including support for private network sharing. Plus, CloudStor has an integrated backup system that will allow Mac users to use Time Machine to back up multiple Mac systems to the drive.

The device will include two drive bays. The first will be filled with either a 1- or 2 TB drive; you will be able to install a compatible 3.5” SATA hard drive into the spare bay. The installation will require no tools or hard drive trays.

The Buffalo CloudStor is scheduled to become available in Februrary, and will be priced at $169.99 for 1 TB, and $269.99 for the 2 TB version.

The CloudStor may be less expensive than buying a Pogoplug Biz plus similar-sized standard external hard drives, and its integrated design is likely to be simpler and more attractive. But if you need significant amounts of storage, the CloudStor doesn’t give you the option of attaching up to four drives, as the Pogoplug does.

How do you make your files available outside your internal network?

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Stream Video From Your Hard Drive With Pogoplug Video

Charles Hamilton — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:00:14 +0000

Now that tools for shooting and editing video are relatively simple and inexpensive, many of us use video extensively in our work for demonstrations, training and marketing. Pogoplug Video, announced today at CES, will allow you to make your videos available more easily.

The device will stream your HD video and images from your own external hard drive directly to multiple desktops and laptops, as well as to iPhones, iPads, Android, and other Internet-connected mobile devices. Video will also stream to UPnP Internet-connected TVs or set-top boxes.

According to the manufacturer, Cloud Engines, Pogoplug Video will stream media from many camcorders, video cameras and mobile phones, and users will be able to view files without the need to convert formats, or to upload files to a website like YouTube or Vimeo. The device will automatically stream video at the highest quality possible, and will support multiple streaming protocols. Pogoplug Video will be optimized to work with Sony’s AVCHD camera products.

Pogoplug Video will be the newest member of the Pogoplug device family, which we’ve talked about before. I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, but it appears to have a very similar form factor to the previous versions. As with the other Pogoplugs, the new version will include an Ethernet port for connecting to a network, four USB ports to connect multiple hard drives, and a power connector.

Pogoplug Video will retail for $199, and will be available for pre-order on March 1 from the device’s website. It will be available online and at retailers starting in April.

How do you use video in your work? Is a device like the Pogoplug Video something you’d like to use?

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Stuff I’m Still Using: My Favorite Products From 2010

Charles Hamilton — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:00:31 +0000

One of the fun things about writing here is that I get to experiment with a bunch of apps and devices that I might not have tried otherwise. A friend recently asked how many of the products I wrote about last year have made their way into my everyday work life. I checked, and here’s the list, in no particular order:

Devices

The Overdrive Mobile Hotspot from Sprint. I’ve been very impressed with the simplicity and usefulness of this device while I’m on the road. I took it on a cross-country train trip last summer, and was able to get a 4G or 3G signal in many large and medium-sized cities. I’ve had to exchange this device twice: The first one stopped booting, and the second one had a defective USB port. But Sprint was very good about replacing them, and the current version came with updated firmware and seems to be faster and more reliable than the original one.
The HTC EVO 4G, and most of the Android apps I wrote about in November. I’m still discovering more cool apps, and have added some like the official LinkedIn app that was recently released.
The ZaggSPARQ backup battery charger for USB devices. Much as I like the EVO, I have to watch its battery use, so having some extra power in my pocket is awfully handy.
The third-generation Kindle. I find it so comfortable that I forget I’m using an e-book reader.

Apps

TotalFinder, the Mac Finder replacement that adds tabs and other enhancements. The latest version has added cut and paste, a real necessity.
The Firefox add-ons that require secure connections over wi-fi networks. I’m still using Firefox, thanks to the add-ons I still can’t live without. Most are now available for Chrome; I might be able to switch once something like Gmail Manager is available for that browser.
My web-design company is using the Google Font API for embedding fonts into websites.
The “Call from Gmail” function that Google Voice debuted in 2010.

I tried some really great hardware and software last year. There are some other products that didn’t make the list, not because I didn’t like them, but because they didn’t fit my workflow for one reason or another.

The innovations from 2010 were quite impressive. I look forward to seeing more great stuff in 2011!

What cool new apps and devices did you discover in 2010?

Image by sxc.hu user coscurro

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iTwin: Remote, Encrypted Access to Your Files

Charles Hamilton — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:00:46 +0000

The iTwin device provides a simple and secure way of connecting to your office’s files while you’re out of the office. When you first open the box, you’ll see something that looks like a USB key, except that there are USB ports on both ends. Look a little closer, and you’ll see that the device can be split into two pieces.

To set up the iTwin, insert the device (with both halves still attached) into a Windows machine. You’ll be prompted to install the software, and to register an email address you can use to disable the device if it gets lost. The two halves are then “paired,” so that they work together to create a connection between computers using 256-bit AES encryption.

You will be able to access one machine from the other, but only if both pieces of the device are installed. For additional security, you can also create a password on the iTwin.

You can leave one half of the device in your office machine, and insert the other into, say, a laptop. You’ll be able to access, move, copy and back up files. You can edit remote files directly, or copy files by dragging and dropping them.

Both iTwin and Pogoplug allow you to connect to your own files remotely without monthly fees, and without using cloud storage. But Pogoplug connects to an external hard drive and makes it available remotely, while iTwin allows you to connect to your entire computer and network. Of course, in order to access a particular machine, you’ll need to leave it on and connected to the Internet.

Of course, there are some security issues to be considered. While iTwin provides a couple of ways to disable the connection if one half gets lost, it might take a while before the loss is noticed. And the connection is bi-directional, so if someone entered your office, they could access your laptop. Frankly, it’s an open question whether the security of this system is better or worse than a software-only solution with strong passwords.

I wasn’t able to fully test the system, since iTwin only works with Windows machines at present, although the developers say a Mac version is in the works. I’ll be interested to see how speedy and stable the system is in actual use, and how well it interacts with Windows’ sleep mode.

iTwin retails for $99 on the developer’s website.

How do you connect with your files while you’re on the road?

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How the iPod Nano Could Be an Awesome Productivity Tool

Darrell Etherington — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 22:00:38 +0000

One of the gifts I really enjoyed receiving this Christmas was an iPod nano. I don’t really need another iPod, and I use my iPhone for most of my music-listening needs, but the new nano’s design is amazing, and it came with a watch band, making it a unique accessory for a devoted Apple fanatic like myself.

Wearing the nano on my wrist, what immediately struck me was how often I wanted to check the device for various things it couldn’t provide. With a few minor feature and hardware adjustments, the nano could be the ideal smartphone-paired watch, and an amazing tool for the connected worker.

Speaker

The nano comes complete with a countdown timer, but to my dismay, it doesn’t have any kind of built-in speaker, so there’s little way to tell if the timer’s run down, short of just watching the device like a hawk or having it hooked up to headphones. Putting a speaker in the nano (even a very simple, single or tri-tone one) would be a necessary first step toward making it useful as a productivity tool. It could then be used for alarms, timers, and notifications of all kinds.

Bluetooth

I doubt Apple is inclined to put a Wi-Fi radio in the iPod nano, but Bluetooth makes sense, since that allows you so many connectivity options for a music-focused device. Bluetooth, as many have already pointed out, would allow the nano to connect with wireless headphones while still residing on your wrist and operating as a watch.

Bluetooth would also open the door to allowing the nano to maintain a persistent connection with your iPhone. This is where the real potential for the device resides from a productivity standpoint. With a Bluetooth connection, suddenly service and iOS app tie-ins become possible.

Push Notifications

I don’t want full-fledged iOS on the nano, and I doubt very much Apple would ever be inclined to deliver it. But what I would like is a simple way for notifications received on iOS devices to be pushed out over Bluetooth to the iPod nano, so that if I receive new emails or instant messages, they would come up on my wrist as an audio/visual alert.

Putting notifications on the nano would save time, because I wouldn’t have to pull out the smartphone every single time I received a notification or my phone vibrated. It would also make it much more likely that I’d hear or feel notifications when my iPhone was on vibrate, since it’s not at all guaranteed that I’ll feel the vibration if the device is in a jacket or bag pocket.

An iPhone’s Best Friend

If the iPod nano could work as a Bluetooth speaker with an integrated mic, and could receive calls from the iPhone, it would really add to its value. And even with all the features listed above, the nano still wouldn’t be able to operate as a standalone device even on par with the iPod touch, so there’s no chance that it might cut into sales of either the iPod touch or the iPhone. In fact, if anything, it should help boost those sales, since it’ll be seen as a unique, desirable peripheral not available to owners of Android and other competing devices.

In the end, what am I really asking for from Apple? A built-in hardware speaker/mic, and a Bluetooth radio. That’s not going to add up to much in terms of additional cost per device, and Apple could easily offer those additional perks only on higher-end nano models to make sure that higher prices don’t scare off people looking for just a music player.

On the software side, the nano could use a modified, limited version of iOS like Apple recently introduced in the new Apple TV, which would allow the company to gradually release features with every hardware iteration, thus providing upgrade incentives.

Do I expect the nano to become the dream iPhone accessory I describe above anytime soon? Probably not. Would Apple be missing a huge opportunity by ignoring the potential that’s clearly there? Definitely.

Is Smartphone Productivity a Myth?

Darrell Etherington — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:00:37 +0000

I’ve been using a smartphone for around four years now, and I have a confession to make: I’m fairly sure that during that time, my cellphone usage has, if anything, become far less productive than it had been when I had only a regular old dumbphone. But with apps, email and Internet access, how could that possibly be?

Even though having a phone is an important part of my job as a remote worker, the value of an always-on, constant tether to the office isn’t really as great as one might expect, especially when that device connects me not only to work, but also to almost limitless possibilities for procrastination, diversion and play.

It seems that play is by far the most popular thing people use smartphone apps for. A recent Nielsen survey found that 60 percent of apps downloaded are games. Productivity apps? Way down the list, at around 26 percent. And while a quarter of all apps downloaded seems like a fairly big chunk, I have to question what types of apps fall under the blanket category of “Productivity” (Emoji Plus and Better Christmas List are close to the top in the iOS App Store bestseller list for that type of app, for example) and how often those apps actually get used once downloaded (I’ve downloaded at least six to-do list apps in the past three months, and opened them maybe a dozen times combined).

So if charting project timelines isn’t what most people are doing with their devices, then what is? Taking pictures. The most common activity by far for cellphone owners in general is snapping photos, with 76 percent of respondents in a recent Pew poll sharing that task in common. Just 29 percent ever use an app at all, let alone a productivity one.

Even as an email device, a smartphone is quite limited. If I receive an email that requires instant response, I’ll send one out, but usually it’ll be a quick message to let the sender know I’ve seen what they have to show me, and I’ll wait till I get to a computer to either respond at length or act on the content of the message. Sometimes having received the email will make me seek out a computer faster, but a vast majority of the time it won’t.

I pay more attention to Twitter because I have a smartphone. Is that a productive pursuit? In a strict sense, no, but in a broad sense, it does help further my work. But again, most of the time real engagement waits for the desktop, when I can track down links and access real resources with ease. If I’m checking out Twitter on my iPhone, I’m mostly just killing time or uploading a picture I just took.

James Kwak argues that all a BlackBerry really does is act as a totem of mythical efficiency. After four years of lived experience, I’m inclined to agree. But that doesn’t mean I’ll be getting rid of my iPhone anytime soon. Didn’t you hear? A new version of Angry Birds just came out.

Is smartphone productivity a myth?

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Where to Invest for the Biggest Productivity Gains

Darrell Etherington — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:00:12 +0000

Looking to plan your budget for next year? Deciding where to spend and where not to is a tricky decision. If you’re a remote worker, or managing and supplying a remote team, then it could be even harder. What kind of investment will pay back the most in terms of productivity? Here are some suggestions to get you off to a good start.

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Remote workers can’t escape talking on the phone, or its modern day equivalents. I personally have a fairly expensive handset hooked up to my landline, which I use when it’s important to have great call quality and a connection I can depend upon. You might not consider a landline a wise investment, but if everything else goes to pot, you can at least always get on the phone and call someone. Especially if you have a phone that will work even in a power outage.

You should also invest in a good VoIP solution, be it Skype or any other service you trust. That also means getting the equipment to support it. A high quality headset, or a mic and headphones combo, will make it much easier to communicate with your coworkers, employers and other work-related contacts.

The Desk Does It

If you’ve ever tried working from a different location, or even from the couch instead of your desk, you know that having everything close at hand can make a huge difference in how well effective you can be. That’s why it’s a good idea to reevaluate your desk space yearly and update according to how your demands may have changed.

For example, this year I’m switching to a corner desk, since I’ve been using two separate surfaces in a corner anyway. Changing to a desk made for use in the corner will maximize my usable space, providing more desk surface where before I had a huge gap. Since I’ve also added a new, much larger printer/scanner because my work now requires more paperwork, I’ll also be adding a printer cart to my setup to make that easily accessible. It’s just sitting on the floor at the moment.

Having more space for additional gadgets, and bringing everything up to the same level will actually save me a lot of hassle in terms of day-to-day tasks. The bottom line? If you find yourself saying “I wish this was up here” over and over, whether it be accessory placement, monitor location, etc. you should spend the money to make that move a reality.

Hardware Upgrades

Most remote workers who depend on a computer will know exactly what I’m talking about when I mention machine slowdown. You’ve got a thousand apps open, with multiple windows and tabs and whatever else going on, and your machine just starts to drag its heels in accomplishing every little thing. Not only is it infuriating, it’s a huge, huge time waster.

If you find yourself running up against a wall with your current equipment, look to fix what you can cheaply first. That means upgrading your existing hardware. RAM is an obvious and inexpensive upgrade, plus it’s usually the easiest part for a user to upgrade themselves. Making sure your computer has the most memory it can support should be your first step.

SSD drives are coming down to a point where they’re now relatively affordable, especially if you’re considering them as a business investment. Plus, backup external drives are also affordable, so you can spend a little to have an SSD as your computer’s internal drive and store files on USB HDs, which will give you speed and storage for less than the cost of high-capacity SSDs.

Conclusion

The old adage “you have to spend money to make money” remains just as true today, but that doesn’t mean you can just spend willy nilly and expect positive results. Targeted spending is how you boost your productivity as a remote worker, and the areas mentioned above are easy to hit.

Photo by stock.xchng user PocketAces

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HP Reminds Us that It Does Video Conferencing Too

Simon Mackie — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 20:01:14 +0000

HP today announced that it is releasing a new line of high-definition videoconferencing products. These new Visual Collaboration products are entering a fairly crowded HD videoconferencing marketplace, with established offerings from the likes of Cisco and LifeSize being joined by many more recent entrants into the market, like EspressoHD and Damaka. HP will be hoping it can make its products stand out by providing a solution that isn’t only accessible via hardware installed in conference rooms, but also on desktop and laptop computers. This could make high-quality video conferencing available throughout an entire organization; a common complaint of many existing telepresence systems is that they are locked away in conference rooms and only available to a select few.

The new HP products include:

HP Visual Collaboration Desktop. A client that can be installed on users’ own laptops and desktops. The software offers flexible bandwidth management with scalable video coding.
HP Visual Collaboration Executive Desktop. A bundled touchscreen product. It features an HP TouchSmart 600Qm All-in-One pre-loaded with the HP Visual Collaboration software, and includes a camera and headset accessories.
HP Visual Collaboration Room 100 and Room 220 provide high-quality video in conference rooms. As it’s portable, it can be moved from room to room if required.
HP Visual Collaboration Studio. A top-of-the-range offering that offers three-screen immersive solutions and features broadcast-quality cameras and lenses.

Because the server infrastructure is software-based, HP says that it should reduce total cost of ownership and eliminate the need for a multipoint control unit (MCU). This infrastructure can be on-premise, hosted or offered in the cloud by service providers. The Visual Collaboration Gateway can interface with both H.323 and SIP protocols, so it will offer a migration path for companies wanting to continue to use their legacy videoconferencing equipment. HP’s existing Halo products, which run on a dedicated network, will continue to be offered as an option for customers looking for a fully managed solution.

HP’s Visual Collaboration line will be sold by HP and selected partners. It’s available now; full details of the product line can be found here.

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EspressoHD: Industrial-Strength 1080p Telepresence at a Lower Cost

Simon Mackie — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 11:02:20 +0000

In a world where distributed workforces become the norm, businesses will need to find solutions that enable their employees to stay connected with each other. One way to bridge the gap between workers and aid remote collaboration is to invest in telepresence technology. Businesses may have shied away from these solutions in the past as they’ve tended to be very expensive, but that cost is coming down all the time. XVD Corporation, a video technology manufacturer, launched its low-cost EspressoHD system in North America today. The small appliance offers full 1080p telepresence over a T1 line, interoperability with other telepresence systems, low power consumption and, unlike some other systems, can connect to up to five locations without an expensive and complicated multipoint control unit (MCU).

Here’s a rundown of the system’s key features:

Low bandwidth: EspressoHD delivers 1080 high definition over a T1, and is optimized to run on basic office broadband (less than a T1).
Easy to set up and run: EspessoHD works through Espresso VCS, a cloud-based video conferencing service with a monthly subscription fee. This does away with the need for an IT department to set up and run the system.
Low power consumption: EspressoHD draws just 25W; significantly less power than other comparable telepresence solutions. This makes it possible to make the unit portable. For example, health care organizations can use EspressoHD as a portable telepresence solution that can move into a patient’s room on a portable cart, running on a battery.
Interoperability: XVD plans to make the product interoperable with other telepresence systems. It should be the first solution to work with existing enterprise and consumer telepresence solutions.

EspressoHD has a list price of $5,000, less than competing commercial telepresence products. More detail can be found at the product’s website.

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Put Your Media Center to Work

Darrell Etherington — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 16:00:00 +0000

If you work from home, having a TV in the vicinity can be distracting. But that same TV could also be the unexpected source of some extra help in the productivity area, if you happen to have a media center PC hooked up to it.

Generally, I use my media center, which happens to be a Mac mini, for entertainment, not for getting things done. But during the day, I can flip the switch and put that machine to work.

Media on Demand

My job requires me to pay close attention to what’s going on in the news. But no matter what job you do, it probably will prove helpful to stay on top of what’s going on in your field. If you find a good streaming source, playing that on the background while you work can be advantageous.

I queue up podcasts and even the occasional livestream on my media center. It keeps it off my work monitors, so I can choose to tune it out if I get too busy, but it also means I can quickly adjust my focus when I have some spare bandwidth. And I find that working doesn’t prevent me from taking in information I’m hearing at the same time.

Twitter Box

I sometimes find that if I use Twitter on my main work computer, my attention span is even shorter and more fractured than usual. By relegating that (and other) social media channels to the media center, I can check in when I have time, but it isn’t begging me to look at it.

You can just use your favorite Twitter app or the new homepage, which is pretty powerful, but I prefer using some tools designed for larger displays. There’s ParaTweet, for example, which is designed with presentations in mind. It displays tweets in real-time, and you can focus in on specific terms using filters.

Conference Call HQ

Many people use VoIP now for conference and other business-related calls. I’ve done it at my work computer, but it’s another case of having too much going on in the same place.

So for business calls, which require my complete attention and focus, I’ll turn to the media center. There are some great webcams out there with high quality mics built-in, and having a voice call routed through your home theater speaker system really helps make sure you hear what people are saying. Plus, you can sit on the couch and be at ease, which should lead to a calmer, more composed conversation.

Video calls also go to my Mac mini now, on those few occasions when I need to make them. A webcam mounted to the TV provides my end of the feed, while watching video calls on a larger display means I can pay better attention to people’s body language, which leads to fewer missed cues and other awkwardness that can come along with video chat.

Divide and Conquer

The media center may seem like primarily an entertainment device, and it is, but it’s also a great way to get low priority computer stuff off your plate. It’s accessible, but it isn’t screaming for attention. Likewise, since the media center isn’t where all your work is waiting, it provides the perfect communication tool. Just like you pay more attention on the phone when you’re not browsing the Internet, real time web-based communication works better when you do it on a machine that doesn’t have a thousand browser windows open.

If you use a media center as part of your web working setup, share your tips below.

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Apple Slips, HP Climbs in Green Gadget Ranking

Josie Garthwaite — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 20:00:26 +0000

Greenpeace has been a thorn in the side of the consumer electronics industry with its Guide to Greener Electronics, delivering harsh scores to gadget makers like Dell, Nintendo and Lenovo over the years. The group has just released the 16th edition of the guide, which shows shuffling in the ranks of top companies as they launch new products, take on stronger advocacy roles, and sail past deadlines for eliminating hazardous substances.

Out of 18 companies on the list, Apple has slipped all the way to 9th place from 5th place in the May 2010 edition, “not because it has lost any points,” Greenpeace explains. (Apple has the same score of 4.9, out of a possible 10). Rather, “several other companies have overtaken it.”

Apple scores most of its points based on criteria for toxic chemicals, since virtually all Apple products are now made without the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) — two nasty chemicals. Greenpeace calls for the company to disclose more information, however, about its supply chain and management of chemicals, as well as future plans for phasing out toxic chemicals.

Dell, which took Apple to task last year over Apple’s claims that it had “the world’s greenest family of notebooks,” boosted its score to 4.9 from 4.3 in the previous guide, holding steady at 10th place. Greenpeace credits Dell in the areas of chemicals and electronic waste, but the computer maker “continues to be hampered by the penalty point imposed for backtracking” on an earlier commitment to eliminate PVC plastic and BFRs in all products by the end of 2009.

HP is among the biggest gainers in Greenpeace’s ranking, climbing to 4th place with 5.5 points, up from 8th place with 4.9 points in the previous ranking. The improved score is partly due to new notebook and desktop lines that are free of PVC and BFRs, a PVC-free printer, and a pledge to phase out beryllium and beryllium compounds by July 2011.

In its statement about the latest scoring, Greenpeace centers much of its criticism on Toshiba and Microsoft, while praising Philips and HP’s recent efforts to clean up their act. Microsoft took a penalty point for the first time for “backtracking on commitments” to phase out BFRs and PVC by the end of 2010. The company aims to phase out BFRs and phthalates from all products by 2012, notes Greenpeace, “but its commitment to phasing out PVC is not clear.” The company fell to 17th place from its previous spot at no. 16, with a score of only 1.9 points.

Toshiba, ranked at no. 16 with 2.3 points, got dinged for its lack of a PC product line made without PVC or BFRs. It also lost a point for failing to make good on a pledge to launch new models of all its consumer electronics products without PVC plastic or BFRs by April 2010.

Earning 5.5 points, Philips ranks in third place, behind Nokia (7.5 points) and Sony Ericsoon (6.9 points). Philips won accolades for its Econova TV, which Greenpeace describes as the first TV free of PVC and BFRs. According to the group, Philips’s Econova puts the company “well ahead of other TV manufacturers.”

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New MacBook Air Hits the Web Working Sweet Spot

Darrell Etherington — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:00:40 +0000

The iPad is a pretty nice mobile web working tool, especially if you don’t need to do any of your heavy lifting while on the road. But the new MacBook Air, with more processing muscle, better graphics and access to OS X and all the applications that go along with it, is the better tool for the road warrior.

Let’s talk about portability. The iPad is a great small computing device. A 9.7-inch screen is small enough to not take up much space in your bag, but also provides a decent amount of screen real estate so that you won’t find yourself squinting. And it only weighs 1.5 pounds (1.6 if you spring for the 3G-capable model). But, that weight doesn’t factor in a case, stand or keyboard, all of which are pretty much required if you plan to use it to do work on the road.

The new MacBook Air provides either a 11.6-inch or a 13.3-inch display, depending on which model you choose. Even the smaller display will make a big difference in terms of usability over the iPad, especially with long periods of use. It also comes with its own keyboard. The weight penalty for all this added convenience? Only an extra 0.8 pounds with the 11.6-inch Air, or 1.4 for the model with the larger display. Not bad at all when you consider that covers all your bases.

And how about price? I’m leaning towards the 11.6-inch MacBook Air, so I priced it out with the upgrades I’d need; the only one I really wanted was the extra 2GB of RAM. That brings the total cost, with shipping, to $1,099. If I wanted to get an iPad with the same storage capacity, I’d have to opt for one of the top-tier 64GB models. The Wi-Fi-only model is $699, but I can’t tether my iPhone to an iPad like I can with the MacBook Air, so I’d probably want to spring for the Wi-Fi + 3G model. That’s $829. Add in the cost of the Apple Bluetooth keyboard, and we’re already at $889. Include a case that doubles as a stand, and you’re up to around $929.

For an additional $170, you get the convenience and software library of OS X, an easier design to work with on the road, more screen real estate and more muscle under the hood. I haven’t even mentioned how much better the Air is as an at-home solution, and it’s already looking like the better bargain.

Speaking of the home office, the MacBook Air works nicely there, too. With its new upgrades, it has almost as much power as the 13.3-inch MacBook, depending on the options you choose, and has video out capabilities via Mini DisplayPort. Plugging it into an Apple Cinema Display will provide all the desktop computing ability most web workers need (and you can add another screen using one of the two USB ports on the new Air, if you need it). And, as you would expect from an Apple product, it’s a very nicely designed and packaged device. Here’s Janko from our sister site NewTeeVee unboxing a 13-inch model:

Watch this video for free on GigaOM

The new Air looks like a great solution for web workers both at home and away, but that’s not what really makes it the best proposition for the forward-thinking web worker. No, the key differentiator with the Air is that it truly lets you create, unbridled. You can write without feeling hindered thanks to the full-size keyboard, and edit photos and do graphics work thanks to the NVIDIA 320M graphics and Intel Core 2 Duo processor. You don’t have to settle for just “the best you can do on the road” any more, as is the case with netbooks. At this price, and in this size, the Air will let you do the best you can do, period, no matter where you’re working from.

Are you thinking about getting a MacBook Air? Let us know what you think of the new models below.

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LifeSize Introduces Modular HD Video Conferencing Bridge

Simon Mackie — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:30:42 +0000

Video conferencing company LifeSize today announced the LifeSize Bridge 2200, an HD video conferencing product. The Austin, Texas-based company (now a division of Logitech) says because the 16-port product is modular, it should enable businesses using it to scale their video conferencing needs as required.

Traditional video conferencing bridges require companies to forecast their video conferencing needs well into the future, needing a large upfront investment and potentially resulting in unused capacity. LifeSize is hoping the new LifeSize Bridge’s flexibility will prove an attractive option for businesses who haven’t invested in HD video conferencing products previously because they were worried about biting off more than they could chew.

The LifeSize bridge is a high-end conferencing product that provides immersive HD conferencing (including symmetric video at 720p60 and 1080p30 and multiple codec support), sustained frame rates, up to 4 Mbps throughput, muti-party calls that don’t get downgraded, and a system that supports both on-demand and scheduled calls. Of course, quality like this doesn’t come cheaply; the LifeSize Bridge 2200 costs around $4,000 per port (the total cost for the 16-port product is $64,999). While that’s a considerable investment, it’s still a lower cost per port than any of LifeSize’s competitors (and much lower than the cost of comparable 1080p30/720p60 offerings).

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Oct. 15: What We’re Reading About Infrastructure

Derrick Harris — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 21:14:34 +0000

Bolstering the argument that money makes the world go ’round, Google’s earnings, and spending, were big news today, as is the third-quarter decrease in VC funding. AMD’s “better than expected” net loss also garnered attention, and we revisit the notion that cloud computing will take away individuals’ money in the form of job losses.

I, Cloud (From High Scalability) I agree that cloud computing probably will result in more job-shifting than job-cutting, but I wouldn’t be so sure that software can’t use context to make human-like judgment calls. (see, e.g., IBM’s Watson supercomputer).

Google Earnings: “Excellent” Quarter; Momentum of Display, Mobile Highlighted (From ZDNet) Google is a moneymaking machine, plain and simple. Even with enormous infrastructure spending, it’s still raking in more than $2 billion in quarterly profit.

Verizon Medical Data Cloud on Track to Serve 350,000 Doctors (From SearchCloudComputing.com) It looks like the “Field of Dreams” logic works for data clouds, too: If you build it, they will come. Even one of three doctors uploading records there could mean a big improvement in health care efficiency.

Notes on Data Warehouse Appliance Prices (From DBMS2) Just in case you were wondering how much one of the new breed of data warehouse appliances actually cost. The answer can be complex, and discounts are plentiful.

Opteron 6100 Server Ramp Underway, Says AMD (From The Register) AMD could use some good news considering that its net loss was considered “better than expected.” Can its Opteron 6100s make their way into enough servers — which are selling like crazy — to spur a rebound?

For more cloud-related news analysis and research, visit GigaOM Pro.

Image courtesy of Flickr user liewcf.

Moving to Mac: 6 Months In

Scott Blitstein — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 14:00:23 +0000

It’s been about six months since I took the plunge and moved from PC to Mac. I’ve outlined the thought process behind my move, my concerns, software choices and more in past posts. I thought it would be interesting to check in and see where I am now, how I am faring and what software I’m using.

As I originally anticipated, because so much of my work is done via cloud services, a good portion of my work process hasn’t changed significantly. I’m starting to think about supplementing these services with Mail.app or Postbox and iCal but am generally pleased with the way that things revolve around my online services. I’ve added Yojimbo to my arsenal and still find it invaluable for overall organization and avoiding information overload. I’m also currently evaluating a move to OmniFocus for task management due to a change in the nature of the types of tasks I am managing.

The MacBook Pro remains a joy to use. I still marvel at its performance and enjoy the brightness and clarity of the display. Using the touchpad has become second nature. I had a scare recently when my machine failed to charge, but it was just a problem with the adapter and Apple replaced it with no hassles. I’ve even become accustomed to the different keyboard shortcuts so I do feel quite at home when working on it.

There are a couple of nagging issues I have, though. The first is the freestyle nature of the application windows in relation to the menubar, especially when working with multiple displays. For example, if I move an Excel worksheet to a second display it feels wrong to have to move my mouse pointer to a different display to access menu options. I imagine I am still retraining myself to work this way, but it feels unintuitive to me.

I also really miss the ease of Alt+Tab-ing between applications on Windows machines. The Cmd+Tab cycle works well enough between applications, and I’ve discovered that Cmd+` cycles through windows within an application but those options only seem to work when the windows themselves haven’t been minimized. A minimized window seems to fall in to a black hole of sorts, and I’ve yet to figure out how to easily restore them.

I’ve done a good share of tweaking of system settings and keyboard shortcuts (like disabling that peskily huge Caps Lock key) and with the addition of some useful utilities I’ve been able to personalize my system so that it works just as I want it to. I have found that generally OS X is very configurable, but resolving the couple of issues I outlined above still eludes me.

After six months I think I have reached a plateau of sorts in terms of productivity. I am feeling very comfortable with my current setup and am ready to move onto scripting, adding more utilities for file processing, and my personal goal of mastering the Services menu.

In addition to getting those last couple of pesky issues cleared up, I’m looking for recommendations on your favorite tips, tweaks, utilities and personalization options that take your productivity up a notch. Please leave them in the comments and I’ll do my best to check them out and share them in future articles.

I’m trying to get the most out of my Mac. How do you tweak out every last bit of productivity?

Photo by Flickr user neys, licensed under CC 2.0

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