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NEVER Use Your ISP's Email Address
by Crestien
 Chris On Tech
Jul 28, 2011 | 4474 views |  0 comments | 15 15 recommendations | email to a friend | print | permalink

I know it's easy to just go with what you're given when you sign up for your internet service. Your internet service provider (ISP) , be it CableOne, AT&T, Comcast, or another, will offer you that free email account, and it can be tempting to just go with it. However, that's a mistake you, just like millions before you, will eventually regret.

The Reason

You will swap ISPs at some point. That is a fact. As long as you're using your ISP's email address, you've tied yourself to that ISP unless you're willing to go through the hassle of changing your email address and telling everyone you know.  It is a big hassle and can be frustrating enough to just stay with an ISP, even if they're overcharging you for slower speeds. CableOne's 50mbps service is now available in our area and I can't help but think of all the people who are stuck on AT&T's DSL service that will likely never see speeds that high.  To swap they will have a nice bit of work on their hands. Just think of the eBills, social network profiles, online stores, friends, family, and other places you'll need to update your email address.  Not fun.

The Solution

Get an email address from one of the big three.  Yahoo, Windows Live, or Google Gmail. Personally, I can't stand the slow, clunky looking, advertising filled, webmail interfaces of Yahoo and Microsoft. I'm a Google Gmail user through and through and I can't recommend it high enough.  It works with Outlook or Windows Live Mail if you prefer that method of getting your email, it's very fast, and the spam filter is unmatched from any other provider I've seen.

Please take this next bit as good all around advice and not an insult. Do not even think of getting an aol.com address.  It makes you look very out of touch when you email a potential employer, clients, or anyone that might expect you to be even slightly computer savvy from an @aol.com address.  If you have one, go ahead and go through the hassle of switching to Gmail right now.  At least get one and begin the process slowly.

At my website design company, WideNet Consulting, we even use Google's Gmail For Business product for nearly all 300 of our clients.  So when I say I trust the service and push it, I mean it.  Even my chris@chrisontech.com uses Google Apps to power it.

Email Intervention

Google has just launched a pretty clever marketing ploy asking people to help their friends make the switch away from bad email providers.  You can watch the video below and visit EmailIntervention.com, a simple site where Gmail users can send intervention letters to convince their friends to switch. It's straightforward and points out the incredible features of Gmail.


My Advice:

The choice is yours of course and I have many friends with Yahoo and Live addresses that seem to be perfectly happy with them.  I guess this could be an instance of to each their own, but I like to think after all I've looked at I am a pretty good judge of what's best in tech, and I say, go Gmail.

Chris Williams, Web Developer, WideNet Consulting

If you have a news tip or a topic you would like to see me write on, please email me at chris@chrisontech.com or write on my facebook page's wall.


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Best College Football Viewing Experience? Maybe!
by Crestien
 Chris On Tech
Jul 27, 2011 | 1440 views |  0 comments | 11 11 recommendations | email to a friend | print | permalink

You know how in the article about streaming I wrote yesterday I mentioned that missing live sporting events was the biggest drawback to cutting the cord on your satellite or cable subscription? Well today ESPN announced ESPN 2.0 for Xbox 360 Live via the Gizmodo blog.  There's a demo video of the ESPN App to watch on Gizmodo.

"You officially have a reason to watch ESPN on your Xbox 360 come this fall - ESPN 2.0 is pretty awesome. Watch multiple games in HD. Pause one while keeping the other going. Stats! So many stats. And oh lord, the mini-guide with live thumbs and scores.

Confession: The only sport I give even the slightest bit about is college football. Fortunately for me, ESPN on Xbox 360 is re-launching August 25 with college football in mind."
Continue Reading At Gizmodo

August 25th is the day and personally, I can't wait to consume my favorite sport in my favorite way.  I just got my Xbox 360 about a month ago and it's worth it's weight in gold to me.  It's perhaps the perfect option to play Netflix and Hulu if you already have one instead of buying the Roku box I mentioned previously. Stats, Pausing, Split Screens, Mini Guide, and oh so much more goodness.  If you don't have an Xbox 360 be jealous.  Be very jealous.

My Advice:

This one is super simple.  On August 25th go and download the free ESPN 2.0 app onto your Xbox 360 and enjoy the mess out of college football and all other sports in the coming days.

Chris Williams, Web Developer, WideNet Consulting

If you have a news tip or a topic you would like to see me write on, please email me at chris@chrisontech.com or write on my facebook page's wall.


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Netflix & Hulu. Do you Stream?
by Crestien
 Chris On Tech
Jul 25, 2011 | 2189 views |  0 comments | 13 13 recommendations | email to a friend | print | permalink
Netflix & Hulu. Do you Stream?
Netflix & Hulu. Do you Stream?
slideshow

Any Time. Any Where. Any Content. That is how I want to consume my TV shows and movies. With the plethora of online services that exist, there's hardly any reason to keep your cable or satellite subscription. They're filled with endless commercials that you are either forced to watch or fast-forward through, and it's only on when it's on. The DVR has made this experience a little more "Any Time" than it used to be, but it is still very frustrating when you want to watch your favorite episode of Big Bang Theory.

For many years now I've been hacking computers together to pull off what Netflix, Hulu, and the like now serve you with very little effort on your part. If your TV doesn't already have these services built in, you can pick up a Roku 2 XD box from $59 - $99 and have Netflix, Hulu and most other services on your TV pronto. All of the services run through your internet connection and have been structured specifically to be very easy to use from the comfort of your couch. See a full list of services on the Roku. 

Another plus is that these services are breaking new ground all the time. According to Hollywood Reporter, Netflix will soon announce they have penned a streaming deal with DreamWorks Animation which will bring a ton of new content to the service. Netflix is no stranger to gaining and losing content providers which can be a bit frustrating at times if your favorite movie disappears from the service. However, HuluPlus offers you another source of content which, combined with Netflix, should satisfy your movie and TV show needs.

The only things lacking dwell in the realm of live TV. The available live sporting events and news updates are a bit slim, but they are available at times.  You could always pick a pair of "digital rabbit ears" and get most of the local channels free if they're important to you. If not, this is still a small price to pay for a family who rarely consumes live events when the benefit is the reduction of your monthly bill from $70 to $15.

My Advice:

Pick up a Roku 2 XD box if you have any interest at all and give the services a chance through their free trials.  It's super easy, and once you see how great having all of this content on demand is, you'll likely never go back. Especially if you have young children.

Chris Williams, Web Developer, WideNet Consulting
If you have a news tip or a topic you would like to see me write on, please email me at chris@chrisontech.com or write on my facebook page's wall.


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3G, 4G? What it means to you
by Crestien
 Chris On Tech
Jul 25, 2011 | 2853 views |  0 comments | 12 12 recommendations | email to a friend | print | permalink

Verizon Wireless Speed ComparisonLast week Verizon Wireless flipped the switch on for their 4G LTE phone service in 28 new markets around the nation.  Most people around Calhoun County are just getting over the excitement of AT&T finally bringing 3G to our area only now to find out that we're behind again.

What is 4G? Well it depends on who you're asking and when. The most basic of answers is that 4G is the next generation of data speed available for your wireless devices.  The more complicated answer is that AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon all claim to have 4G and they're all talking about something different.  If anyone is telling the truth however, it's Verizon.  LTE (Long Term Evolution) is the most common type of true 4G networks being produced by the big 4 (soon likely to be the big 3 when AT&T buys T-Mobile) and that's what Verizon is rolling out.  HSPA is what the others are claiming is 4G which is really just slightly faster 3G.  So please don't get confused when buying your new phone or Mifi device when they start spouting on about 4G.  We don't have it in Calhoun County and you don't need it right now.  Currently the closest Verizon 4G areas are:

  • Alabama:  Decatur, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery
  • Florida: Ft. Lauderdale, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Lakeland, Miami, Orlando, Pensacola, Sarasota-Bradenton, Tallahassee, Tampa, West Palm Beach
  • Georgia: Athens, Atlanta, Augusta
  • Tennessee: Chattanooga, Clarksville, Cleveland, Knoxville, Nashville
The current Verizon LTE Map is available off of the Verizon LTE page. Verizon is way ahead of the game on 4G coverage just like they have always been with their 3G.

My Advice
If you're going to get a phone in the next year and you don't travel outside of this region very often, don't wait on your favorite phone (i.e. Apple's iPhone) to go 4G, because we're not going to be seeing those speeds around here anytime soon.  If you're going to get a Verizon Mifi, go ahead and get the 4G because it won't cost you any more than the 3G, and you'll have it just in case it's ever available to you.

Chris Williams, Web Developer, WideNet Consulting
If you have a news tip or a topic you would like to see me write on, please email me at chris@chrisontech.com or write on my facebook page's wall.
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White Plains golfer wins playoff at Cedar Ridge
by Al Muskewitz
Jun 17, 2013 | 425 views |  0 comments | 14 14 recommendations | email to a friend | print
OXFORD — If the overriding focus of the oldest age division in the Future Champions Junior Golf Tour is learning to compete for the steeper road ahead, it was mission accomplished Monday. There is no keener taskmaster for that than a sudden-death playoff, and it taught both Pediatrics Plus Invitational combatants a thing or two about competing. Dustin Travis, who won the playoff over Caleb McKinney with a bogey on the second extra hole, learned the importance of sticking to a plan even if things don’t go so well initially. McKinney learned the value of emotional balance in the heat of competition. Both players shot 4-over-par 76 in regulation at Cider Ridge and were sent out to the par-5 18th to settle the score. Travis, a rising junior at White Plains, played his back nine in even par, and McKinney chipped in off the flagstick from 30 yards for birdie on his 18th hole to force the playoff. They parred it the first time, then Travis won for the second week in a row with a five-foot bogey putt. That came after Travis hit his second shot into the right woods, took a drop and then hit it long and left. “I’ve played in a playoff before, but only one in my entire life,” Travis said. “I lost that playoff, so coming into this one it was like I wanted to get back what I lost. It gave me a lot of experience. My nerves were reckless when I got up to that first tee. Hitting it right, hitting it left … I just had to stick with it and keep my composure. I just held it together better.” For McKinney, a rising senior at Faith Christian, the nerves of his first playoff were evident. After driving it consistently all day, he drove it way right on the deciding hole, took a drop and then hit next shot into the right hazard. He tried to hit out of the ground cover but advanced the ball only a few feet, then lost his next shot into the left water hazard. He took another drop and then bladed that shot over the green, from which he conceded. “Dustin’s a great competitor. He’s very consistent,” McKinney said. “When you go into a playoff you just have to be ready. I wasn’t ready.” The Future Champions Tour is the county’s newest incarnation into junior golf development, joining the likes of the Jerry Pate and ERA/King Realty tours that developed those generations of future county standouts. It has 51 boys and girls registered from all reaches of the county, and each of its first two events has drawn 38 players. The top three finishers in each age division receive an award. If you don’t think that’s a big deal, you don’t know how competitive these kids are. “You want to be able to play in the top three and get a plaque,” said 15-year-old Madilyn Turner, a rising sophomore on Pleasant Valley’s girls team. “You’re trying to win. You’re trying to beat the other competitors. You want to be friends and everything, but you really want to win and try your best, like it was the sectionals or sub-state. To have competition like this and play different courses, it really helps so you’re not nervous when your (high school) season gets back.” While the older division is geared toward future levels of competition, the focus for the 10-and-unders is developing an interest in the game. For the 11-14s, it’s the fundamentals and rules of golf. “We’re trying to teach these kids to have fun and the rules of golf and golf etiquette. We’re definitely accomplishing that,” tour director Marcus Harrell said. “There’s no doubt they’re learning to compete. And not only are they learning, they’re having a blast at the same time. We haven’t had one person really complain about anything that’s going on. Everybody’s calling and saying it’s one of the most fun things they’ve ever done.” Added 13-year-old Jacob Lecroy: “It is real fun, definitely.” Lewis Lecroy never picked up the game until he was 41, but he’s appreciative Jacob has such a program to develop his game. Jacob, who has been playing since he was 6, won his age division Monday by more than 20 shots after posting an 81 and is considering asking to play with the older boys. He shot the lowest 18-hole score in last week’s inaugural event at The Lion Golf Club in Bremen, Ga. “This is super,” the elder Lecroy said. “I think Marcus has a good thing going, and all it’s going to do is get better. It’s big because they’re out here playing. If they werent out here playing there not going to get any better. Golf is something you have to play three to seven days a week to get any better at all. If you come out here one time a week, you’re not going to get any better. They didn’t have these opportunities (when he was younger). Now they’ve got the opportunity to be out here playing.” Al Muskewitz covers golf for The Star. He can be reached at 256-235-3577.
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All-Calhoun County boys soccer: McDonald’s demand yielded results for Oxford soccer
by Brandon Miller
Jun 17, 2013 | 272 views |  0 comments | 15 15 recommendations | email to a friend | print
OXFORD — Heading into his second year as Oxford’s boys soccer coach, Dwight McDonald wanted a commitment from within the program. After the Yellow Jackets finished the 2012 season with an 11-12 record, McDonald started conditioning workouts in November, rather than the standard protocol of beginning in January. The plan was for the Yellow Jackets to build a better bond. “We had the skill, but we didn’t have the endurance,” said McDonald, The Anniston Star's Calhoun County boys soccer coach of the year. “Plus, we were more individuals last year than we were this year.” As Oxford found out months later, this made for a successful plan. Not only did Oxford make the state playoffs for the first time in 13 years, the Yellow Jackets won the Class 6A, Area 12 title and posted a 13-5-2 record. They did it behind the play of Filiberto Ruedas, Luis Gomex, Andrew Sheltzer, Matthew Lin and Bryant Luis. “The highlight of the season was our area game against Gadsden City. It was the game that put us in first place in the area,” McDonald said. “Our goalkeeper, Andrew Seltzer, stopped a penalty kick with four minutes left that could have tied the game. It came down to us winning the area and coming in second.” Although McDonald lost six starters to graduation, he is confident his system will help the program continue to succeed. “The great thing about this season was I was able to play a lot of young players. I have some eighth-graders that had game-time experience that was really good,” McDonald said. “I look at it like Alabama football in that you never start over, you just reload. I think that’s what we’ll do next year.” Brandon Miller covers prep sports for The Star. He can be reached at 256-235-3575 or follow him on Twitter @bmiller_star
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All-Calhoun County boys soccer team
by Brandon Miller
Jun 17, 2013 | 320 views |  0 comments | 13 13 recommendations | email to a friend | print
FIRST TEAM Filiberto Ruedas 5-5, Sr., MF • Oxford Noteworthy: Ruedas led the team with 19 goals and eight assists, earning the Yellow Jackets’ co-Offensive MVP award for the second straight season. Mason Tompkins 5-10, Jr, D • Jacksonville Noteworthy: Tompkins was the glue of the Golden Eagles this past season, serving as the team captain and starting every game. The junior scored 14 goals and contributed eight assists, while also playing excellent defense. Mitchell Baker 5-6, 8th, F • Donoho Notewothy: Baker was the leader of the team despite being only an eighth-grader. He led the Falcons with 24 goals for the season. Baker started the year scoring Donoho’s first 18 goals. Schuylar Bucker 5-6, So., MF • Donoho Noteworthy: Buckner was the workhouse for the Falcons last season while playing center midfielder. The sophomore scored one goal for the season. Adan Escareno 5-8, Sr., F • Anniston Noteworthy: Escareno led Anniston’s offense in every way this past season. The senior led the team with 13 goals and six assists to finish his high school career. Josiah McDaniel 5-11, So., MF • Faith Christian Noteworthy: McDaniel played a large role for the Lions as a sophomore, scoring 14 goals and recording seven assists. Bryan Manuel 6-0, Sr., GK • Jacksonville Noteworthy: Manuel kept the Golden Eagles in numerous games this past season. The senior recorded eight shutouts and also scored two goals as an offensive player. Stephen Emerson 5-11, Sr., F • Faith Christian Noteworthy: Emerson led the Lions with 16 goals and also recorded five assists during his senior season at Faith Christian. Luis Gomez 4-8, Jr., F • Oxford Noteworthy: Gomez played a large role for the Yellow Jackets, finishing second on the team with 16 goals and five assists. He was awarded the co-MVP award for Oxford. Andrew Seltzer 6-1, Jr., D • Oxford Noteworthy: Seltzer earned the Yellow Jackets’ Defensive MVP award after helping Oxford reach the playoffs. The junior started one game as the goalkeeper, a 1-0 win against Gadsden City. Bryant Lewis 5-11, Sr., D • Oxford Noteworthy: Lewis played offense and defense for the Yellow Jackets and scored five goals and had three assists on the season. The senior also earned Oxford’s Leadership Award. Second TEAM Oxford — Matthew Lin, Gustavo Rios, Johnathan Becerra; Faith Christian — Tyler Johnson, Sydney Nordan, Parker Moore; Jacksonville — Brian Pryor, Andrew Staples, Austin Martin, Tyler Pass; Donoho — Wilson Landers.
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Hobson City Town Council plans for the future
by Eddie Burkhalter
eburkhalter@annistonstar.com
Jun 17, 2013 | 236 views |  0 comments | 19 19 recommendations | email to a friend | print
HOBSON CITY – Among the individual goals Town Council members discussed in a Monday workshop, infrastructure improvements remained at the top of nearly everyone’s list. The combined list is varied, and it will take many sources of money – from grants to local funds – to pay for it all, the council and Mayor explained as they discussed each item during a workshop. Susie Jones, chair of the town’s Parks and Recreation Committee, asked for installation of Plexiglas windows and exterior doors at the field house at the youth sports football field, and for repair of the restrooms there. Chair of the Water and Sewer Committee, Joe Cunningham plans to change numerous leaking water meters throughout town. About 60 water meters were replaced in previous years, and there may be a grant available to pay for replacement of more, Hobson City Mayor Alberta McCrory said. The town’s water tower needs to be refurbished, McCrory said, and an old estimate on that work will have to be redone. Additionally, regular maintenance needs to be done on the water pump next to the tower, she said. An arch welcoming people to Hobson City is something Councilwoman Deneva Barnes, chair of the Streets Committee, said she’d like to see built in the coming months. A beatification board could help in that effort, Barnes said. She’d like to start such a board, and said it could help raise money to build the arch. O’Mildred Ball, chair of the Sanitation and License Committee, would like the town to consider buying a new, or slightly used, garbage truck to replace its aging one. Ball also asked about the possibility of increasing the town’s business license fees, and McCrory said that’s something she is currently considering. “We have a lot of people come into town doing odds and ends jobs,” Ball said, referring to contractors who work without paying for a business license through Town Hall. Freddie Striplin, chair of the Police and Public Safety Committee, remains worried about crime in recent weeks. “I’d like to restore a sense of safety on MLK,” Striplin said. Traffic is slowing after Calhoun County deputies began regular patrols last month, Striplin said, but there remains a criminal element that needs to be addressed, he explained. A dormant neighborhood crime watch program needs to be restarted, Striplin said, explaining it could help curb crimes that may be going unreported. “I think you’re going to have some help with that. The Housing Authority has already said they’d like to start their own watch,” McCrory told Striplin. Stray dogs — some of them seemingly aggressive — have become another problem Striplin said he’d like to address. McCrory said there is the possibility of contracting with Calhoun County Animal Control to pick up those animals. McCrory said more work is needed on Town Hall, housed in the town’s former elementary school. Painting is needed, as are repairs to the leaking roof, she said. “These are the things we’re going to get working on,” McCrory said. “And they’re the things we needed to hear.” The next council meeting will take place June 24 at 6:30 p.m. Staff writer Eddie Burkhalter: 256-235-3563. On Twitter @Burkhalter_Star.
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