Canonical, creator and developer of Ubuntu and Ubuntu One, have offered it’s Linux users a valuable cloud computing service with Ubuntu One. Currently in public beta form, Ubuntu one is a full suite of cloud computing software that you can use to integrate your OS and your cloud with Evolution Mail for contacts or Tomboy for notes, as well as any other arbitrary files you find valuable.  Granted Canonical has been taking some heat due to the fact that as of yet, there is no Kubuntu Support for this product, and the closed source-code for the server-side of Ubuntu One, but most of all, the fact that you are paying for this service.  A very out of character decision by Canonical, who traditionally offer everything for free, and under the GNU License open-source agreement.

Ubuntu One starts off with a basic package, which allows you to have 2GB of free storage space.  There is also a paid Ubuntu One service which gives you 20GB extra for $2.99 a month.  You can add as much space as you want, always in increments of 20GB for $2.99 a pop.  Really, not a bad deal.  Especially when you take into account just how much ease of access and quality of service Ubuntu is offering with the Ubuntu One service.  The seamless integration with Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx is just amazing.

There is also a DRM free mp3 music store integrated with Ubuntu One, where you can purchase your music, and listen from almost anywhere.  This is where the mobile plan comes into play.  For $3.99 a month, or $39.99 for the year, you can enjoy a mobile Ubuntu One experience with unlimited music streaming from your Cloud to your Android device or iPhone.  Once you activate your account, search for the application in your App Marketplace, download and install.  There is also immediate contact synchronization for most any phone on the market today, not just Android or iPhone.  Right now Canonical is offering the mobile platform for a 30-day free trial.

Fortunately there is a Windows Beta coming soon for all of you dual-booters out there as well.  This is where Ubuntu one becomes the most valuable of services is because so many Linux Users will dual boot their computers with a copy of both Linux and Windows.  Now you will be able to rather seamlessly adjust files from one OS to the other with as little legwork as possible.  Something that a lot of newbies making the bridge over to linux will find rather convenient, rather than regularly finding you have to restart your computer to gain access to that file again.

Overall, Ubuntu One seems to possess a whole lot of potential.  Although it will definitely take some heat due to the fact that it does come with some cost to really use the services full potential, it is just that, a service.  The best part is, you don’t have to pay if you don’t want to. Just head on over to the site and try the free 2GB package they are offering, and start forming your cloud today!

Enjoy!

Scan any of the barcodes below with your android phone to be taken to the download for that app in the Android Marketplace.  If you don’t have a barcode scanner, Search for Shop Savvy in the Marketplace and install it.

Advanced Task Manager

One pesky thing about Android is that fact that a lot of applications like to run in the background.  Most phones off of the shelf, or android for that matter, doesn’t come with any type of Task Manager to help moderate these pesky battery hogs.  So that is where advanced task manager comes in.  You can use the whole app and browse running programs and erase the ones desired, or you can do as I install the single-icon widget and with the press of a button all running apps are eradicated.  At any given time usually about 9 are running at once, but it can get up to around 24, so you gotta stay on it.

HandCent Text Messenger

Handcent is an alternate text messaging application that will take over for the stock version in your phone.  In my opinion, this app supersedes my Hero’s capabilities, and adds a nice iPhone looking skin on the messages.  It offers push notifications that will show over your lock-screen (not good if you like to keep secrets, but you can disable it) which also let you respond from there.  There are roughly seven or so font-packs you can use to spice up your messages, as well as a ton of other tweaks.

EasyTether

EasyTether is a super-convenient app that allows you to connect your phone via USB cable to your PC and “tether” the internet.  Essentially, your computer borrows your phones 3g connection, for free.  There is a paid version as well, but EasyTether Lite gets the job done fine for basic quick computing and just surfing the net.

Where

Where is an awesome app that is not only on Android, but should definitely get mentioned.  This nifty little package will show just about where anything is.  As well as offer the best gas prices in your area, peoples reviews on certain places, weather, etc.  Its really a useful app for someone who is on the move.

Photobucket Mobile

Most people know what Photobucket is, but if you don’t, it is a image hosting site on the internet.  Basically they store all of your pictures for free, unless you have A LOT of pictures.  The Photobucket app is super useful because if you have a phone with a decent camera, which lots of phones have nowadays, it’s a really convenient way to share these photos online.  Once you snap a picture, Photobucket will then upload that saved picture to your Photobucket account, allowing you to set up slideshows, post on websites and forums, or upload to Facebook, if your phone doesn’t do it already.

TuneIn Radio

This nifty little app lets you listen to damn near any radio station across the country.  Through which you can get down to the most local of stations, or browse the NPR options.  The quality is crystal clear, and the user interface is a breeze to navigate.  For free, this little app packs a punch.

gStrings

No, its not an x-ray machine, this is a fully featured guitar tuner offered for free in the Android Market.  This app is better than most any entry to mid-level guitar tuner out there, and its free.  Really a great steal.  Not to mention the way your friends will look at you when you pull out your phone to tune your guitar.

Notable Mentions:

- 3 (Cubed): if you’re going to listen to music on your phone, why not make it a 3D interactive cube to browse and play it with.

- Google Voice

- Thinking Space:  Mind Mapping software.  Awesome for writers.

- Spectral Analyzer:  A spectrometer.  Good for finding ghosts, or where that mouse is behind the wall.

- Metal Detector:  Uses your phones built in antenna to detect metal.  I didn’t believe it at first either.

First let’s look at good ‘ol HTML.  Boy she’s a beauty isn’t she?  Since the dawn of November 24, 1995 when HTML 2.0 was released upon the world, people have been using this time trusted coding system to program and build the web pages of tomorrow.  At first all it could really do was portray text, arbitrary colors, and some horrendous backgrounds.  Since the implementations of CSS and JavaScript into web pages, around 2000 thanks to Internet Explorer 3 people have been able to enjoy a bit more control over what types of behavior their websites have, as well as entertain the visitor more.  If you would like to visit one of the last bastions of pure HTML web design, head on over to Craigslist to appreciate the sheer simplicity, yet effectiveness of their system.

Flash first appeared mainstream when distributed as Macromedia Flash way back in 1996.  Shortly after adobe picked it up, and has been having a ball.  Flash started as a small implementation for websites, and really paved the way for streaming Audio & Video applications.  Since then flash has evolved into either adding interactivity to web sites, or building entire websites from scratch in the flash atmosphere.  It wasn’t until recently that Flash has become a bit more of a ‘stand-alone’ design tool.

HTML is becoming the crusty old tool of web design and the internet.  One thing to keep in mind is that the perfect website today is rarely going to be exclusively Flash or exclusively HTML.  A healthy balance of cleanliness and interactivity found by harnessing all of the different elements together can help make your web page one of the best ones out there.  HTML works great for formatting text, working out screen placement, and anchoring your data sheet.  HTML is great for building and supplying forums, forms, and basic articles on web pages.

There is a fantastic Flash based web site building platform derived almost entirely of flash called Wix.  The sheer architecture of their builder and the sites that it creates are quite impressive.  There is HTML integration so you can bridge over the things you want from across the web.  Wix is by no means the only WYSIWYG web design tool, but it is one of the best web design “Clouds” out there.

Flash websites have way more interactivity than any other HTML website I have seen.  With so many moving parts and flashing colors, its hard not to be entertained by all the commotion happening on the screen.  This interactivity adds a whole new sense of involvement or the user as well, and encourages them to explore and experience all that you have to offer.  Rather than browsing the older HTML pages that you have to scroll down for ages to search for the info you are looking for, Flash encompasses you monitor tightly, and encourages you to turn the page.  On top of that, it can animate a page turning.

Web design and surfing is a quickly evolving terrain.  HTML and Flash are going to continue working together over the next few years to bring us the even more unforeseen heights.  Do yourself a favor and start spending some time building your own web pages.  Once you create one, you won’t be able to stop!

To the beginner, Android, or even a touch screen phone for that matter, can seem like somewhat of a daunting task to take on.  But once you get your feet wet, and start having some fun, pulling your fingers away from the screen will get harder and harder.  One of the largest appeals for these new phones is the availability, and usefulness, of Applications.  There is a vast sea of apps out there for you to dabble in within just about every genre you can imagine.  Finding these apps is made possible by the Android Marketplace.  A preexisting app that comes with your Android phone.

Due to the sheer amount of apps out there, it is hard to differentiate which ones will be the most useful for most people, so we will just go ahead and focus on a few of the most fun.

1. Google Sky Map

Google Sky Map is an innovative App that utilizes your GPS positioning, and the camera on your phone to view stars, planets and constellations in our immediate galaxy.  The sheer scope of this app is impressive, but its simplicity is what makes it fun for all ages.  Using your screen as a viewfinder you can point the camera on your phone is any direction and get an accurate mapping of the stars, constellations and planets.  A really fascinating and fun way to look at our world, and learn.

2. Layar

Layar is in essence, very similar to Google Sky Map.  One major difference is, it focuses on our planet. More so, on your immediate surroundings.  Again utilizing your camera, and global positioning, you can use your phone as a viewfinder, and look around your immediate area to find shops, restaurants, stores, or landmarks.  Say you’re in downtown Chicago, and you want to find a nearby pizza place.  Launch Layar, specify pizza, and just look through your phone.  If you rotate in a circle Layar will show you precisely whereeach establishment is, correlating rather efficiently with your local surroundings, And offering reviews to help you decide which place is best to have lunch.

3. Pandora

For those of you who don’t know, Pandora is an online radio that thinks.  It learns what you like to listen to, and then plays music, new or old, that fit into your interests.  Having this app on the go, especially when you are tired of your iPod library, can be super useful, and fun.

4. Radar Now

Radar Now is a live streaming app of your local weather radar.  When you launch the App it zeros in on your general location, and will display a live feed of the Doppler radar within about a 500 mile radius.  This app comes in super handy, especially if your an outdoorsy person.

5.  Shop Savvy

Shop Savvy is another app that utilizes the camera and viewfinder on your Android powered phone.  It turns your phone into an effective bar code scanner.  Just point the camera, wait for the scan, and see all of the products and reviews that this app will bring up.  Maybe not very essential in the grocery store, but if you find yourself at Best Buy searching for a new digital camera of LCD TV, this app will help find reviews and pricing info on the fly.  In essence,

making you the most educated shopper you can be.

This is just scratching the surface of valuable resources available in the Android Marketplace.  Once you start exploring, its hard to stop.  My suggestion is, get out from under that rock, invest in a new phone, and find out just what the fuss is all about.

1. GIMP – The GNU Image Manipulation Program

www.gimp.org

GIMP is essentially a full on Photoshop alternative, and it is 100% free.  I use gimp for almost all of my graphic design, and you can save your files in Adobe friendly formats that allow you full functionality with any Adobe suite or products you may already own.  This program runs much more efficiently than adobe in my opinion, I just enjoy the interface more.  Sure, there are some shortcomings that you just cannot ignore, such as the sheer quality edge and color detection you have in Photoshop, but if this is not essential for you, then why bother.

2. Blender - model - shade - animate - render - composite - interactive 3d

www.blender.org

Blender is a quality 3D modeling platform, also created under the GNU license.  It can be used for creating everything from 3D models and smoke simulation to creating animated films or video games!  Quality wise, Blender stacks up to other comparative programs, aka Maya and 3D StudioMax, rather well.  Sure it is limited in lack of Font Preview for text, lack of N-gon-based modeling workflow and some missing modeling tools.  It also is on the leading edge with advanced algorithms utilized for its UV unwrapping.  Basically, compare the price tag of Maya or 3D Studio to Blender and you definitely get what you don’t pay for.

Just a sample of what Blender can do:

3. Google SketchUp

http://sketchup.google.com/

Sketch up is essentially a simplified AutoCAD.  It has some one-dimensional aspects to it as well, and you can build houses for display in Google earth.  The simplicity lies in the interface, and the projects really just seem to come together.  I downloaded it on a whim, and wound up losing hours to trying to recreate my home, and building my dream one.  With some nice snap-to options, and a fun scaling platform, its worth the download.  And hey, who doesn’t trust Google?

This is really just scratching the surface of quality free drawing, image manipulation, and 3D modeling software out there, but if I had to pick, these are my top three.  Once you get into open source, or Google for that matter, it can be really hard to quit.  Hopefully this can help send you down a long and happy road of new, healthy computing options.

With that said the onset of the new innovation dubbed ‘creatively’ Google TV looks like the Mecca on my newfound journey towards better quality entertainment.  I finally have a product to sling to all of my friends whom I am consistently bragging to just how entertained I am for about $20.00 a month.  Now, allow me to burst my own bubble.  The specifications on Logitech’s website for their Revue, the hardware that you can purchase to add Google TV to any existing TV’s you already own, requires a Cable or Satellite Set Top Box with HDMI out. *PoP*  For the time being, fingers-crossed that there will be an internet only version available as well.

Regardless of whether or not this will require an active cable or DirectTV membership with compatible set top box, the few screens and demonstrations us low level consumers get are enough to make me salivate at the thought of tinkering for hours with this new UI.  Imagine, Google Chrome launching on your 48″ Sony Bravia HDTV with a Pandora app running in the background, and rich, handpicked content there for you to explore.  The customization will surely be impressive, and as the program responds to consumers behaviors, I’m more than positive it will start to suggest some rather accurate viewing content for the regular users.

Imagine, rather than scrolling down that same old vertical TV guide we have become so used too, you get to Google it, and find when and where the shows you want to watch.  Not to mention a standard DVR method that works with all providers, Dish Network, DriectTV, AT&T, etc.  Although we are not too sure the amount of storage, I am sure it will get the job done effectively.  Also, just like the pocketBLU app for all you blu ray freaks, which lets you control your Blu-Ray players with your Android or iPhone smartphones, there will be an app to allow your phone to thus act as the remote for your new television experience.  It will fully control all functions; yet so will the keyboard you receive with the Revue.  Although you can only imagine the Sony TV’s will be shipping with them as well.  Sony is releasing its full line of TV’s and details on October 12, 2010.

All in all, this is the direction that technology is taking us in, and Google has clearly one-upped Apple, again, by offering us a quality product that is both intuitive, user friendly, and way more customizable than Apple will ever let its customers ever get a hold of.  As for me, I will keep looking for my perfect viewing scenario, but at least for the rest, this seems to be a pretty sweet ride.

The Pen that comes with the tablet is a bit light, but still fits rather ergonomically in your hand.  The two buttons that reflect you mouse are not very intrusive of your comfort, and can begin to feel pretty natural after some regular use.  The action of tapping your tablet twice rather than good ‘ol double click is fun as well.  With a price tag of $79.99 on Wacom.com, this is an entry level tablet, for people who are either interested in using a tablet for mediocre tasks, or those of us who just don’t have a spare $300-$500 to drop on a more industry standard tablet.  When you keep that in mind, you will get just what you expect from this product.

My Bamboo came with Corel Painter Essentials, which is an excellent program for getting an idea of just what you can accomplish.  When you move into the more advanced programs, a.k.a Photoshop, or my preferred GIMP, you may notice a bit of a lag from the tablet due to hardware constraints and software usage.  You definitely will not receive a perfectly clean air-brush motion when working on some of your larger files.  This is due to the lack of sensors that come with the Entry Level Pen tablet.

Based on sheer looks the Pen Tablet will make a sexy addition to most desk set ups, and many people who aren’t accustomed to seeing them will comment.  College students will like the option of being able to take notes in class, on your laptop screen, and save them for a later date without the fear of lost torn or crumpled pages.  Or you could just doodle during class as well, whatever your into.  It has a nice shiny trim around the writing surface which can easily collect dust if you don’t wipe it regularly.  It weighs a measly 1.8 pounds, so you won’t really notice the weight in your backpack or briefcase.  The pen itself does not require batteries to run, which is a relief, and comes with two spare tips to replace the original when it gets worn.

All in all the Wacom Bamboo Pen Tablet is a great product for its target market.  Wacom is a trusted name in the industry, and the quality is noticed in the Pen Tablet.  If you are someone interested in toying with these fun tools, but don’t want to drop too much to experience it, go with this one.  You get your money’s worth, and then some!

First let us cover some of the reasons why this tool can be helpful both personally and professionally.  When done right, a website that acts as an online portfolio/resume can do much to simplify the channels that people have to go through to receive detailed information about your professional life.  You can include hobbies, interests, and anything else you may find applicable.  Sure your Facebook or MySpace page will touch on these, but having the creative control over the design, and how people ingest the information you are deciding to share with the masses.

The great thing about running the ‘Business of You’ is that you can begin to incorporate a business, or entrepreneurial mindset to the way you approach searching for, or applying to jobs.  Not to mention the confidence one can have when you walk into an interview and hand over a Resume, with an attached business card which has the address to your website.  Once there your ‘client’(employer) may search extended info on you.  They could download a PDF of your resume, follow links to some of the other companies you have worked for, and SHOW superiors what makes your professionalism more valuable than the other 500 people who applied without their own webpage.

You have to understand that business standards are starting to expect employees to have at least a Facebook page when considering employment.  With the added dimension that this adds for, you should be prepared to go beyond this by offering even more.  This added responsibility on your behalf can be taken to the next level with your personal website.  It can be done on one page with a simple layout, or five pages with music and photo galleries.  Whatever the career path or lifestyle being focused on, your website will capture and accentuate all the best parts!

One thing many people think is that it is expensive to start a web page, confusing, and something you need to pay thousands in order to tackle.  Truth be told, there are website design companies out there, a.k.a. wix.com that allow you to very simply and easily (or involved and creatively) design and publish your own webpage with a ton of options, and a beautiful interface. if you wanted to have your own domain name, such as www.johnsmith.com, just head on over to GoDaddy.com and purchase your domain for around $10.00 for the year.  Or you could by a .info instead of .com and pay about $2.00 for the year.

All it takes is a bit of time and commitment, but when all is said and done, the sense of approval and satisfaction you will feel balances out the time and bit of money spent to get you up and running.  Companies like Wix have a wealth of help and support in order to get you up and running, and there is always Google for those questions that you just can’t seem to get answered.  What are you waiting for, get out there and start building!

Now, with that out of the way, let us tour the fun and inviting world that Bungie has created for us in this, their last installment in the Halo Universe. This, of course, being due to the licensing issues with Bungie being owned by Activision now. (Can anyone say Bungie: Call of Duty: Future War?) The sense of parting that Bungie has left us with in this game can be felt in just about every nook and cranny. There are endless hours of entertainment with a fun and engrossing Campaign, addictive and competitive Multiplayer, relentless Firefight, and the grossly immersive Forge, Notably redesigned for Halo: Reach.

The Halo: Reach campaign starts out with your Squad, Noble Team, being assigned to locating some missing troopers in a nearby village. Your team will be airlifted in and shortly after find out that, just as with everything in the Halo Universe, the troopers are dead and the Covenant are behind it. What starts out in the first couple of missions as a bunch of small skirmishes, eventually plumes into all out war, with some very impressive scenes involving some very heavy duty action.

The AI has been impressively revamped for Reach, with some pretty noticeable enhancements. Many an Elite has made me learn that you can no longer run into a group of enemies and trust in melee. Their movements are swift, smooth, and rather intelligent. The heroic difficulty gave me more to work for in Reach than Halo 3 by far, and forget about Legendary. There is a 150GP award for completing legendary on your own, and justly so. You can expect to log around 10 to 12 hours into the campaign, depending what difficulty you play on.

Halo’s signature Multiplayer is there as well, in all of its glory, there to eat away at hours of your life, and frustrate you beyond all repair. The credit system used in Reach (cR’s) to enable you to rank up is a fun addition, with a lot of great rewards for your time and efforts. You earn cR’s in all game modes of Reach, plus the daily and weekly challenges sponsored by Bungie which assign you to different tasks in Reach to gain bonus cR’s, as well as keep you involved in the many different types of the game.

The scope of Halo: Reach was large, and Bungie did a great job of bringing their vision to life in the constraints that they faced. I feel as though the the graphics was a bit compromised to allow for more room in the game. The water effects are rather poor, and some of the scenes happening in the distance have a much different feel than other Halo games. When you zoom in on an enemy, sometimes it will look a bit like the enemy and the ground its on do not mesh how they should. This is the first time I have experienced this in a Halo game, and I attribute it to short comings in the hardware.

In order to keep this brief, I will close by saying that with everything Bungie lovingly packed into this game for us, this game is another winner that belongs on the shelf of any Halo fan out there. There are plenty of hours to be lost in this final installment of the Halo that we have come to know and love in the past decade (Halo Wars Excluded). Wrap your hands lovingly around your controller, and start fragging, cause before you know it, this game will be history.