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Pocket Lint

This is the personal weblog for the PocketGoddess, where you'll find random writings on just about anything not directly related to mobile technology.

Ad-Based PDFs? No Thanks!

I ran across this little gem a couple of weeks ago and forgot to post about it—or maybe I just needed a cooling off period. It seems that Yahoo and Adobe are now working together to put advertisements into PDF files. Evidently the current plan is somewhat unobtrusive, in that the ads will appear in a sidebar and will not change the original text or layout of the PDF, though when the file is open it will automatically connect to an ad server to download advertisements (if an Internet connection is available, of course).

I’m horrified because I’m starting to glimpse that ad-infested future (foretold by some sci fi story I can’t remember the name of at the moment) in which *every* waking moment and every surface is simply filled with advertising from which you cannot escape. I understand the role of advertising, and the necessity for it, but this idea to insert advertising into PDFs really bothers me. Until this initiative came along, I knew that any PDF I downloaded was generally free of advertising unless it happened to be an advertisement—a product spec sheet, for example. Unless the publishers using this service identify the type of download before I click—by calling it an “ad-supported PDF” or something similar—I’ll never know exactly what I’ll get, or whether the file will magically try to connect to some ad server without asking for permission.

I think that’s what bothers me the most; after all I have a few little Google ads on my site here. I’ve never considered them to be all that obtrusive though, and I do expect to find ads here and there—around the web, in news feeds, and from commercial mailing lists I’ve joined for my favorite brands and products. But if I’m using my bandwidth to download a file and store it on my hard drive, I don’t expect it to be full of ads—and when this service finally comes about I’ll be a lot choosier when I think about downloading PDFs I might be interested in reading. If they’re full of ads, I’ll be saying “No thanks.”

December 10, 2007 | 0 Comments

Now I’ve Seen Everything: SatLav

If you find yourself in Westminster, UK and need to find the nearest public “facilities” you don’t have to search. In fact, you don’t have to do anything except send a text message and you’ll get a reply telling you exactly where to go. It will cost you about 50 cents, but if you’ve gotta go, that’s a small price to pay.

For more info, read the full story on ZDNet here.

December 1, 2007 | 0 Comments

Think CBS is “NUTS” to Cancel Jericho?

I think so, and if you agree, you can join the fans sending a tangible message to the programming executives at CBS. Jericho is an intelligent show with multifaceted characters, interesting stories, and a “what if” scenario that certainly makes you think. In the show’s season finale, Jake Green’s response to a neighboring town demanding that Jericho surrender its land and resources was “NUTS!” (which was also General McAullife’s response to the German call for surrender at WWII’s Battle of the Bulge).

Now you can do the same by donating to the effort to send roasted peanuts to the offices of CBS. Angry letters and online petitions are one thing, but not terribly effective in making a big impression. This is the sort of idea that I wish I’d thought of first, and I’m doing my small part by helping to spread the word about the campaign to save Jericho—the last thing we need is yet another reality show!

You can get all the details, including how to contribute, photos of the deliveries, and a running tally of nuts sent (almost four tons so far) by clicking here.

May 23, 2007 | 0 Comments

Article/Online Resources for GTD

Hal Goldstein, editor of Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine, recently wrote an article about his experiences with the Getting Things Done (GTD) philosophy of David Allen. It’s a good read, chock full of tips and software suggestions that can help you get things done so you can enjoy the freedom for the people and activities that are most important to you. You can check it out here.

February 20, 2007 | 0 Comments

Read (or Written!) any Good Books on your Cell Phone Lately?

Just when you’d thought you’d seen everything…

I was pretty surprised when I ran across this story on Wired—it seems that in Japan, folks are writing entire novels on their cell phones, and various community sites have sprung up to help readers find new content. This doesn’t seem so unusual, except that one of the more popular authors claims that she can type more quickly on her phone than on a traditional computer keyboard.

I guess I’m behind the times, confining myself to ebooks on a Palm OS or Windows Mobile device. Anyone else out there hopeful the trend will spread to the US?

January 3, 2007 | 0 Comments

New Year’s Resolutions

Most people only keep a New Year’s resolution for three days, which means that most of those January 1 resolutions are either already broken or will be by the end of the day. I’m sure there are a few hardy souls who are able to keep those resolutions, but I’ve never been one of them. That’s probably because true change (like committing to a healthy lifestyle, quitting smoking, etc.) is possible at any time, not just at the beginning of the year—resolutions are little more a fad or a cool idea with a very short shelf life. And I’ve finally realized that life won’t suddenly become perfect if I lose 20 pounds, organize my closet, find the perfect guy, or win the lottery.

So I’ve decided not to make any resolutions this year, but I have decided to make some positive changes in my life. They’re not the typical resolutions, but in some ways they have the same effect. The difference is that I’m doing my best not to beat myself up for not attaining instant perfection. The older I get, the more I realize that life is indeed a journey, not a destination—the important thing is how we live along the way.

So what are my New Year’s NOT resolutions? Top of the list is finishing what I start—it’s very hard for me to say no to new projects, no matter how long the to do list becomes. The other is to be more mindful—stay in the moment, no matter what I’m doing. That also cuts down on a lot of that negative self-talk that can so easily clutter up your mind if you let it. In other words, live more fully as a human, instead of striving to be a productivity machine, constantly stressed and distracted.

I still need to clean out my closet (and maybe buy a lottery ticket) but there’s a lot more to life than a perfectly organized wardrobe.

January 3, 2007 | 0 Comments

Awesome Photos: Flame Fractals

I’m not sure how long these photos have been floating around the web, but they’re simply breath-taking and definitely worthy of being shared. You can check out a gallery of 50 images; just click here.

November 30, 2006 | 0 Comments

Just Wondering: Halloween

I’m not normally much of a horror/slasher film fan, but I must admit to being thoroughly caught up in the tenth anniversary of AMC’s Monster Fest. They’re showing a ton of horror films this week and next, including all of the Halloween franchise, The Exorcist and its two sequels, Hellraiser, Friday the 13th and its sequels etc. They’re showing some of the old classics as well, such as Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), The Wolf Man (1941), and The Mummy (1932)—though not in prime time, so you’ll have to set the DVR. I’m particularly enjoying the Halloween series, because they’re honestly frightening without being terribly gory, especially the first one. Just hearing the few notes that comprise the theme (or even remembering them!) makes chills run up my spine.

Watching all these old horror flicks makes me wonder though—if Michael Meyers always comes back to Haddonfield to commit unspeakable acts on Halloween, why don’t folks just skip the whole thing each year and go on a cruise?

October 25, 2006 | 0 Comments

Now Playing: Games

Big Brain Academy is the sequel to Brain Age, a game that has been a smash hit in Japan and done very well here in the US. The idea is to “train your brain” with simple exercises that stimulate you to think quickly. In Brain Age the goal was to achieve as “young” a brain as possible, and the emphasis was very much on numbers and calculation. Big Brain Academy has a wider array of exercises, more engaging graphics, and much better multiplayer options. You aren’t limited to a set amount of play each day, as you are in Brain Age, and I find it to be a lot more fun. I can see myself coming back to Big Brain Academy again and again over the next few months in my attempt to get a “heavier” brain.

Magnetica is an arcade puzzle game that will be quite familiar to Zuma fans. Gone is the ancient temple theme; this time around the vibe is futuristic and the music is techno. Quests and puzzles round out the gameplay, and there’s a multiplayer option as well. The controls are a little more difficult than the Palm OS version I’m used to, because instead of merely pointing where you want the next marble to go, you have to flick it across the screen. It’s still fun, but not as precise.

Generally speaking I’m enjoying my Nintendo DS Lite a lot more than the Sony PSP, but I have been playing it more since the release of Gradius Collection for PSP. It’s fun, and thankfully you can adjust the difficulty level if you find this old-school scrolling shooter to be just a bit too hard. What’s funny is that this year, unlike most, I’ve got plenty of games to play while I’m holed up indoors trying to escape the already blistering summer heat. Usually all the good games come out around Christmas, and I’m glad to see that things are spaced out better this time around.

June 12, 2006 | 0 Comments

Nintendo Fan, and Proud of It!

We’ve heard quite a lot about Nintendo’s next generation console, newly dubbed the Wii (what were they thinking?) I’m very excited about the possibilities that the motion sensor controller will open up— “next gen” for me doesn’t equal “prettier graphics” and nothing else. I want a real revolution in how I interact with the in-game world. And of course the ability to download and play classic NES and N64 games, plus backwards compatibility with GameCube games, means that I’ll have plenty to keep me busy for a long time to come.

If you haven’t heard much about the Wii, or would like to read a good roundup article covering what we know so far, head on over to 1Up.com and read their latest report here. This month’s cover story on Game Informer magazine also has some great information about one of the launch games, Red Steel. It’s an action game that includes both guns and swordplay in your quest to take down a modern-day Yakuza boss, and the story also offers some insight into just how revolutionary that new controller will be.

I’m glad that the Wii won’t becoming out until much later this year, because I’m completely hooked on the Nintendo DS Lite that I imported from Japan. The hardware is so much better than the original DS—smaller, lighter, and much more comfortable to hold during long gaming sessions. Right now I’m spending way too much time with Animal Crossing and Super Princess Peach, with smaller doses of Brain Training, Mario Kart, Metroid Pinball, and Nintendogs. Of course after May 15, it’s going to be all New Super Mario Brothers, all the time. (You can get wallpaper and watch sneak preview movies of the game here.)

Don’t get me wrong—I love my PS2 (Kingdom Hearts!) and my PSP (Lumines) but I’m just not excited about them in the same way that I am about Nintendo’s hardware and software offerings. Perhaps it’s due to my gaming taste, since I prefer puzzlers and platformers to FPS fragfests and street racers. But I think the real key is that Nintendo is more interested in truly changing the way we play games than they are in churning out more of the same old stuff with a few graphical enhancements—just look at the popularity of Katamari Damacy, and maybe you’ll agree that the gaming public really is looking for something new and different. The Nintendo DS, with its dual screen display, interactive touchscreen, and microphone certainly changed the way I play handheld games. And I can’t wait to see everything the Wii has in store when it is finally released later this year.

May 1, 2006 | 0 Comments

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