My apologies for being so inconsistent for the past several days, I had a bit going on.  During the Saturday of the last weekend of September, I was able to finally find a Wii at Future Shop!  Imagine my pleasant surprise and excitement.  And don’t turn green with envy yet – apparently, Wiis are finally in stock and are widely available (heck, if I could get my greedy little hands on one, you certainly can).  And today, Sunday, I was volunteering in the Run for the Cure and then attended the University Fair being held downtown.  Overall, a very exhausting day; but just because of my love for you readers, I’ve dragged up the motivation to write this short post.

Now I know for a fact that many people are still using the boring ol’ Bliss or Doggy wallpaper that came with their Windows XP, or the Aurora wallpaper for Vista.  Now I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with it, but it does get a bit dull doesn’t it?

Don’t worry about it – if I brought it up, I’ll have you covered.  I introduce you to InterfaceLIFT, my personal favourite site to collect quality wallpapers.  There are several new wallpapers being published on a weekly basis, with a wide variety ranging from nature shots to rush hour, all seemingly professionally shot with excellent quality.

All I can suggest is that you don’t go crazy downloading wallpapers; I’m not too sure that would be a wise use of your storage (if you’re lacking in hard drive space) nor would it be necessary, as InterfaceLIFT won’t go offline anytime soon (I say this with acknowledging that there might be a fraction of a percent that I might be wrong).

So you can finally change the wallpaper on your computer at work?  I’d suggest recommending the site to your supervisor or boss first, and see their reaction before doing anything yourself.

Amazon’s been a provider of many goods; CD’s, DVD’s, electronics, and the like. So everybody knew that it was just a matter of time before it expanded into the field of digital music. And this time, I can surely say that I might seriously consider purchasing from Amazon now. Why such a hasty decision?

I assume that you, dear reader, would have heard or read about what Digital Right Managements protection is and how it affects music files (it severely limits the number of computers or digital audio players that your music can be transferred to). And it was only till recently that major online music stores began shying away from using DRM (for example, iTunes with the launch of iTunes plus). I’m very pleased to see that Amazon’s decided to fight DRM as well, because it’s a very ridiculous system if you ask me. It’s practically punishing the customers that support purchasing music for the consumers that choose to pirate or illegally acquire their music. Sound unfair?

That’s why I’m so eager to jump onto Amazon’s bandwagon! I’m sure that this will not be a passing fad – with music price at $0.89 apiece, a very flexible .mp3 format, and a higher than standard bit-rate of 256 kbps, it’s an excellent price for high-quality music. Much cheaper than iTunes, and appealing to a greater market, I find it difficult to believe that Amazon might be able to fail.

What are you waiting for? Well, if you don’t live in the USA, then you’ll be (like I am) patiently waiting for Amazon’s music store to debut in my country. I sure hope that it doesn’t take long, but in the meantime, there’s always Spiral Frog.

Amazon’s store can be found here:

http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=gw_br_mp3/002-0866464…

If you’re like me, you probably think the internet is the best thing that’s happened since sliced bread. The internet has helped you accomplish many various tasks and seen many sights around the world that you otherwise would not have been able to access. It’s also been able to connect you to old friends, new acquaintances, or just various people you meet in the abundant numbers of social networks. And so you add them onto your favourite instant messaging application, and you realize that text can only take you so far: text is great, but I think hearing someone’s voice is just on a completely different level.

Skype is no newbie to the world of voice-conferencing. Sure, there are many applications out there that can perform similar tasks: Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger, and Skype’s arch-rival Gizmo. But, I still think that Skype gets the job done best.

As my cousin lives across our vast country of Canada, we have this obstacle to cross whenever we want to communicate. Until recently, we mainly used Windows Live Messenger to chat: then, he introduced me to Skype and I grew to enjoy the convenience (of course, no singing along to music anymore). I found a microphone in my closet and plugged it right into my computer (you can purchase a decent microphone at your local electronics/computer retailer for probably around ten dollars).

Now you might be thinking that you can do this with something like Windows Live Messenger. But would you be able to hold a conference call with three people? I discovered that this was quite a hindrance, as I was chatting with a few fellow APH members. So I happily booted up Skype to find out that this was a feature – and within a couple of seconds, I was able to connect and chat with them.

Skype sure is convenient! You can even call land-lines if you are lacking a phone (for a fee, of course). And best of all – Skype is free! It’s both free money-wise and spyware-free, so you won’t have to worry about installing unwanted software (actually, keep an eye out for Google toolbar, but that’s not exactly spyware).

You can download Skype at it’s site: http://www.skype.com/

Windows Vista was (and still is) Microsoft’s product. Windows Live Messenger is Microsoft’s product. So when Windows Live Messenger 8.0 and 8.1 were released, I was wondering where the Vista integration was (it wasn’t even an option). And when Yahoo! Messenger was made available with Vista integration, I was just plain ol’ confused. Since when did Yahoo! impress me more than Microsoft? I think that would have to be the one and only time I even considered getting a Yahoo! account to use Yahoo! Messenger.

So when the newest beta version of Live Messenger (WLM 8.5) was released, I was finally relieved to see the Vista integration. It gathered my desktop under what I would call “Vista-Unity”, and I never looked back. Of course, the beta had a few problems (none too obvious), so I could hardly wait till the kinks were worked out.

And today, I finally got what I was waiting for; an auto-update saying that there was a new version of Windows Live Messenger. And yes, WLM 8.5 is finally officially released! I’m pleased to say that it’s interface didn’t change a single bit, and it looks exactly identical to its beta version (albeit the title has changed).

Well, at least, that’s what I initially thought. Turns out after a bit of searching around that Windows Live Messenger 8.5 is still in a beta state – it’s just that “beta” was removed from its title, and it’s actually a second beta. What a disappointment.

Kidding! I don’t mind having a beta version of a product that brings “Vista-Unity” to my computer. And so, the wait for WLM 8.5 Final continues…

Don’t have a digital audio player? Want to share your music? Just recorded your garage band’s new single and want to get it out to the world? Look no further – Imeem would be of perfect service.

Imeem’s also got a pretty decent-looking interface – mainly flash-based, it’s very animated and has graphics that are very aesthetically satisfying. There are various premade themes to choose from, and even more HTML coded themes that you can copy and paste from its users.

Imeem is another one of those social music networks – albeit one of the more convenient social music networks. Unlike Last.fm, Imeem allows its users to upload their own songs – if the artists allow it to be broadcasted it will be made available at full-length. Otherwise, it’s just a thirty-second preview (a decent sacrifice for a greater good).

This means you can add the track someone else uploaded to your own playlist, and then you can have access to your playlist wherever you can get on the internet.

A last but certainly not least feature is its music discovery ability – want to listen to that song you just heard on the radio? Just type it into the search bar – usually, it’ll be available (if not in full-length, then you’ll get a preview).

Imeem’s certainly something that I value using, as I don’t have to suck out my iPod’s batteries while still being able to enjoy my music. And it’s GUI isn’t even half bad (well I guess nothing can succeed with a lame GUI, but still).

If you’re more experienced than I am, the names IBM and Lotus will definitely ring a bell. For all you younger viewers out there, the Lotus Suite was a set of office applications for the corporate and consumer world. They usually came pre-installed on IBM machines (I have an affectionate IBM machine called “Beigey” that came with it) running Windows 98 or earlier.

So, what happened to Lotus Smart Suite? I’m guessing the popularity of Microsoft Office drowned it out and it was recalled by IBM for some re-engineering; and the result it produced was Lotus Symphony. Due to the popularity of free office applications (I’m guessing), IBM decided to do the same and make Lotus Symphony a freebie.

How is Lotus Symphony different?

• You’re in charge! Lotus Symphony is based on the Open Document Format (ODF) standard-which means you’re not locked into proprietary file formats, software licensing agreements and upgrades. Finally, free tools and freedom of choice!

Can Lotus Symphony handle my existing files?

• With Lotus Symphony, you can import, edit and save a variety of file formats including Microsoft Office files. You can even export your documents to Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF). The tools work with computers running both Microsoft Windows and Linux- environments, with support for Apple Macintosh planned for the future.

For more information and a list of FAQ, visit: http://symphony.lotus.com/software/lotus/symphony/product_faqs…

It does sound pretty interesting, and even though it’s still in its beta stages, I might end up giving it a run-through. I do hope that its GUI will be prettier than the one OpenOffice.org sports though – it’s honestly not that hard to do (not that I don’t appreciate the guys at OpenOffice.org).

Lotus Symphony’s suite will compose of three programs all quite aptly named; word processor Lotus Symphony Documents, slide show creator Lotus Presentations, and graph/data manager Lotus Symphony Spreadsheets. Although there have been quite a few negative reactions already, I’m sure that everyone without Microsoft Office that don’t prefer OpenOffice.org will be relieved to have an alternative to turn to.

Now, I’m not saying Lotus Symphony will be able to out-sell or out-run Microsoft Office 2007 (have you seen the Ribbon?), but I can hardly compare the two in the same category, as you need to pay for one and you can get the other for free. Download with reservations though, it’s still in its beta stages so it might be a bit buggy.

As a regular user of blogging service MyBlogLog, I was shocked to discover as I tried logging in today that it wanted me to sign in with a Yahoo! account. So, armed with Google in my right hand, I decided to find out what was really going on.

Yahoo is not saying what it paid for Mybloglog, but knowledgeable sources said it cost a little over $10 million for the company, which first offered the service in July. Bradley Horowitz, vice president of product strategy at Yahoo, said Mybloglog will likely remain branded as a separate entity, but Yahoo users will be able to register on it with their Yahoo password. The reader communities will soon be able to access Yahoo services, like the Flickr photo site or the Yahoo Answers information service, to their groups.

Source: http://blogs.forbes.com/forbespecial/2007/01/yahoo_snaps_up_.html

My first thought was – ten million dollars?  I never even knew MyBlogLog was popular enough to strum up half that amount (no offense meant – after all, I do use the service)!  Now that I think about it, there are quite almost a few thousand popular communities out there (every user has the opportunity to create their own community for their own blog, but relatively few were successful).

I think that there are a few kinks to be smoothened out for now (I still can’t login even after creating a Yahoo! account), but I guess that it shouldn’t affect the service too much (I could be very mistaken, to be honest).

Interested in MyBlogLog?  Click the link – and don’t forget to find the CutEdge community (still a bit sparse, I know)!

I’ve been bombarded with questions like “Where did you get your avatar?” and “Did you draw that avatar?”.  And the answer is a resounding “Simpsonize Me!”.

Simpsonize Me was a campaign sponsored by Burger King to promote the Simpsons Movie (which wasn’t as bad as people would think).  Thankfully, the site is still up, and you can still go upload your picture and get Simpsonized!  You might need a bit of patience though, as the site needs to take a while to convert the picture.

And I can definitely say from firsthand experience that it is worth it!  You don’t have to worry about people knowing your true identity, but you can find something that really is unique and expresses yourself (I’ve been told I look very much like myself – I will neglect to mention all the others laughing at this avatar).

So check it out now…while you still can!  http://www.simpsonizeme.com 

Trillian is pretty famous for it’s useful client – named Trillian.  It’s portable, it’s useful, and it’s convenient – but it’s always seemed to be lacking that X-factor.  Trillian’s looking to resolve that with Astra – quite possibly the ultimate IM client.  By IM, I’m talking about Instant Messaging.

Although it looks promising, it’s still stuck in it’s Alpha stages – so undoubtedly, we’re going to have sit around for a while and wait for it to arrive.  Don’t worry, I think it’ll be well worth the wait.

Astra has a pretty dazzling blue GUI, which integrates a lot of popular chat clients into one program.  This means you can access your Yahoo! Messenger account while also chat with people through your Windows Live Passport.  This is not a new feature, but Astra seems to be taking it to the next level.

So sign up for the alpha (it’s public)!

For more information, visit: http://www.trillianastra.com/.  Give it a shot!

Guest post by Dan Schawbel, owner of the Personal Branding Blog and publisher of the Personal Branding Magazine.

There has been a heated debate as to which platform, either Myspace or Facebook, one should use to establish a Personal Brand. For those of you who are unaware as to what exactly Personal Branding is, it is how you are perceived in the minds of those around you. The elements that make up your brand are your appearance, personality, competencies and differentiation. By building your brand through social media, you are communicating your value proposition and networking with like-minded peers. Facebook and Myspace are two of the largest social networks on the internet, populated by millions of individuals who have objectives such as keeping in touch with old friends or finding work. There are many differences between these two platforms. Myspace is positioned more for bands to showcase their material, as well as having the ability to actually customize your “space.” Facebook, on the other hand, allows you to keep up to date with every facet of you’re friends lives, as well as identify who they know, but is restricted to a specific page format. This year, Facebook has updated their site with the ability to embed widgets and manipulate pieces of your standard Facebook page. What you’ve seen is a lot of social media integration that allows for more communication and connection between people. Myspace has remained stagnant and the search capabilities are quite poor. All things considered, if you’re looking for a social networking platform that delivers quite and seamless interaction and updates, you should use Facebook. This is also a great place for your Personal Brand, as you can upload a signature picture, use it as an avatar and then list your work experience and social interests at the same time. Myspace is a lot less formal, where you have more control over your page. Myspace should be used for bands that are looking to have people hear their sample music or maybe even for entrepreneurs that are looking to network. All things said, using these sites will allow you to communicate your brand to others and become more visible.