Coolness Roundup

This week Stephen Schleicher offers some insight into methods for optimizing traffic to your website, and a new feature offered from Google Analytics.

But first…

• Charlie While fills everyone in on his Boycott Cable Project. This week he talks about building a media PC for the home theater and how a $65 dollar card may be a great solution for you.
• eMusic.com Audio Book Recommendation
  Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel by Michu KakuA fascinating exploration of the science of the impossible—from death rays and force fields to invisibility cloaks—revealing to what extent such technologies might be achievable decades or millennia into the future.One hundred years ago, scientists would have said that lasers, televisions, and the atomic bomb were beyond the realm of physical possibility. In Physics of the Impossible, the renowned physicist Michio Kaku explores to what extent the technologies and devices of science fiction that are deemed equally impossible today might well become commonplace in the future.

  From teleportation to telekinesis, Kaku uses the world of science fiction to explore the fundamentals—and the limits—of the laws of physics as we know them today. He ranks the impossible technologies by categories—Class I, II, and III, depending on when they might be achieved, within the next century, millennia, or perhaps never.
  

• And the Rapid Fire Roundup of Cool Products We’ve Seen During the Week.

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 Boycott Cable Television Week 3: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Stephen Schleicher and Charlie White continue their discussion about building a website the optimizes traffic. Stephen reads a comment from a listener that thinks the duo should bring back cursing, and a comment from someone wanting to know about a potential Windows Vista virus. Charlie and Stephen also discuss the latest ploy by Comcast to rip off their customers.

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 Comcast Cares Not [25:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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This week Stephen Schleicher and Charlie White continue their discussion on digital cameras, this time focusing on camera accessories.

But First

• Charlie gives everyone an update on his Boycott Cable project, this week focusing on his family’s reaction to going without cable.
• Stephen brings up the announcement by Apple that you can now download movies from iTunes the same day you can purchase them on DVD.
• Charlie reviews the Garmin Forerunner 405 GPS tracker.
• Marc writes in to tell about the service he uses to back up all his important data.

All this and the Rapid Fire Roundup of Cool Products the gurus of cool have seen during the week.

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 Digital Camera Accessories: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Stephen reviews the new Iron Man movie, while Charlie comments about user generated movies now available on Flickr.

Sponsors
The Coolness Roundup is brought to you by:
eMusic - Download 35 free songs from emusic.com/coolnesslounge
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 Iron Man Reviewed [24:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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This week Charlie White and Stephen Schleicher look at some of the new digital cameras that are available for professionals and consumers alike, pointing out you should spend more on your lens than the camera body, a new camera that captures slow motion video, and Charlie reviews the Nikon D300.

But First

• Stephen talks about the TeraStation Live NAS that he purchased to keep his data safe.
• Charlie talks about his first week cable free, as he attempts to spend the next three months only watching over the air HD television and watching movies he has downloaded.
• The pair respond to listener feedback concerning iPod Touch and the iPhone and point out a new way to access the Coolness Roundup at the touch of a button.
• Book Recommendation - This week Stephen recommends The Princess of Mars as one of the great early science fiction novels featuring John Carter of Mars. You can download this book free by signing up for a 14-day free trial at eMusic.com. You also get 35 free, DRM free, songs when you sign up for a trial subscription. Charlie did it and says it is an easy process.

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The Coolness Roundup is brought to you by:
eMusic - Download 35 free songs from emusic.com/coolnessroundup
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 Digital Cameras [33:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Charlie White and Stephen Schleicher relax in the Coolness Lounge and to discuss the documentary Stephen is working on about General Sheridan, while Charlie explains to Stephen why he likes Windows Vista so much.

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The Coolness Roundup is brought to you by:
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 Boycott Cable Television [27:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This week, Charlie White has an interesting plan to live video disc and cable free for the next three months - only using over the air television signal and downloadable media for his entertainment and informational viewing.

But First

• Stephen Schleicher talks about some new gear he’s picked up for his Sony Z1U HDV camera
• Charlie complains about a HD over-the-air-antenna from Pinnacle Systems
• The Gurus of Cool discuss the new Red high quality camera line.
  • Charlie will believe it when he sees it
  • Stephen is excited that the Scarlet may be a 3K camera for $3,000

All this and the Rapid Fire Roundup of Cool Products the duo have seen during the week.

Sponsors
The Coolness Roundup is brought to you by:
eMusic - Download 35 free songs from emusic.com/coolnessroundup
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 Coolness Roundup #131: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Charlie White and Stephen Schleicher relax in the Coolness Lounge and discuss the recent earthquake that Charlie’s family felt in Wisconsin. Stephen wonders why earthquake prediction is about as accurate as weather predictions and says his cat can tell when the weather is about to change.

Book Recommendation
This week Charlie recommends The Wisdom of Crowds as a very good book to read, which prompts Stephen to sweeten the eMusic.com deal to include one free audio book when you sign up for a 14-day free trial that not only includes the audio book, but 35 free songs too.

Sponsors
The Coolness Roundup is brought to you by:
eMusic - Download 35 free songs from emusic.com/coolnesslounge
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 Coolness Lounge #85: Earthquake! [24:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This week Charlie White and Stephen Schleicher take a look at the recent update to TiVo desktop which promises to let you stream movies seamlessly from your computer to your TiVo.

But first

• Stephen broke down and purchased a 32GB iPod Touch and loves it, giving it a good review recommendation.
• Stephen also asks listeners if they notice anything different about his voice now that he is using the Presonus BlueTube Microphone Preamp.
• The Gurus of Cool discuss the recently released Dash Express GPS unit that allows two-way communication between the unit and the “mother-ship” and keeps you up to date on traffic conditions.

Plus the Rapid Fire Roundup of Cool Products they’ve seen during the week and more.

Sponsors
The Coolness Roundup is brought to you by:
eMusic - Download 35 free songs from emusic.com/coolnessroundup
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 Coolness Roundup #130 [35:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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This week Charlie and Stephen sit back and chat about the recent events in their lives.

• Charlie got a free replacement drive from Western Digital
• Stephen turned a company in to the BBB
• Stephen talks about a new documentary he is working on - his first in HD
• The duo discuss General Sheridan and his role in western expansion
• Charlie mentions some ideas for home security, while Stephen believes those security signs are the biggest deterrent.
• Should Charlie get a gun? Stephen says don’t buy one for home security unless you plan on shooting someone.
• Hard drive storage is a big issue with the two friends

Sponsors
The Coolness Lounge is brought to you by:
eMusic - Download 35 free songs from emusic.com/coolnesslounge
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 Coolness Lounge #84- HD Documentary [29:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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This week Charlie White and Stephen Schleicher take a look at Adobe’s brand new Photoshop Express - the online image editing software.

But first

• The duo talk about Comcast’s brand new DOCSIS 3.0 internet offer that gives subscribers 50mbps download and 5mbps upload speed for $150 per month.
• Charlie reviews a Samsung Blu-Ray/HD DVD player
• Stephen tells bloggers why they shouldn’t upgrade to Wordpress 2.5 just yet
• and the Gurus of Cool talk about some very cool home security cameras for the home or office.

Plus the Rapid Fire Roundup of Cool Products they’ve seen during the week and more!

Sponsors
The Coolness Roundup is brought to you by:
eMusic - Download 35 free songs from emusic.com/coolnessroundup
GoDaddy - use the codes Roundup1, Roundup2, or Roundup3 for additional savings when you check out from GoDaddy.com

Listen to the Show

 

 Adobe Photoshop Express Reviewed [34:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Stephen is upset that a company in Texas charged his credit card two months ago for a product they still haven’t delivered
Charlie talks about good customer service from Western Digital
Charlie is convinced the CBS HD broadcast of the NCAA tournament is full of artifacts, but Stephen doesn’t see them.

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 Rip off artists: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This week Stephen and Charlie discuss cool technology to make watching March Madness that much more interesting.

But first

• The duo weigh in on the Xm and Sirius merger.
• Charlie and Microsoft get chummy when Charlie has a great experience with technical support
• Stephen and Charlie also weigh in on the announcement that Comcast and BitTorrent are reaching an “agreement”.
• The Gurus of Cool answer an email from Jay about HD surround sound for the home theater
• and the Rapid Fire Roundup of Cool Products seen during the week.

Sponsors
The Coolness Roundup is brought to you by:
eMusic - Download 35 free songs from emusic.com/coolnessroundup
GoDaddy - use the codes Roundup1, Roundup2, or Roundup3 for additional savings when you check out from GoDaddy.com

 

 March Madness [32:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Stephen and Charlie discuss the recent discovery of a recording that predates Thomas Edison’s recording patent.  This leads to a discussion on patent and copyrights, fat cats, and stupid people, economics, and why Stephen believes the United States is heading to Idiocracy.

Yeah - it’s a pretty political show.

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 Looney Beats Dollar [40:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this episode, Charlie White reviews Vista Service Pack 1, and finds it’s not all that it is cracked up to be.

Stephen and Charlie answer listener email about power adapters and over the air DVRs.

Tthe duo continue their discussion from last week’s Coolness Lounge (coolnesslounge.podshow.com) in which Stephen suggests movie studios could make a heck of a lot more money by offering legal  high-definition digital downloads of first run movies for $25.  Charlie and Stephen respond to the multitude of listeners who wrote in to comment on this hot topic.

 

 Vista SP1 [30:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download