Things were a little hectic yesterday so I didn’t get a chance to turn up the volume in the newsroom. Instead I watched some of the Jeopardy IBM Challenge online.

The of the greatest Jeopardy champions to date are taking on an IBM computer named Watson.

At stake is $1 million. If Watson wins, IBM will donate the money to charity, if the humans win, they’ve agreed to donate half of their winnings to charity.

The computer pulled ahead in the beginning, but ended the show tied with Brad Rutter and Ken Jennings in second.

Below is an interview with Jennings on MSNBC where you can see some clips from Day 1. You can watch the rest on KWWL today and tomorrow at 4:30.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Posted under Web/Tech

It’s been all about wireless speeds lately.

Late last week, Schnack told me there had been an AT&T 3G sighting in the Cedar Valley. For those of you not on AT&T – you have no idea how exciting this is because you’ve probably had 3G for quite a while. But all of us iPhone users have been stuck on the Edge network, and many of us had nearly given up hope that 3G would ever come our way. So I put the 3G question out on Twitter – anybody else seen it? Sure enough, there had been some sporadic 3G coverage in the area. So I decided to put in a call to AT&T, and they told me that towers in the area were being upgraded, but until they were finished, your signal in the Cedar Valley would depend on your location. Over the weekend, I switched back and forth traveling around Waterloo and Cedar Falls. But for the last few days – it’s been a solid 3G everywhere I’ve gone. Finally! Just another factor in my upcoming upgrade decision.

And while I’m rejoicing over my 3G – President Obama highlighted his National Wireless Initiative in a speech in Michigan on Thursday. To be honest – I didn’t really get a good grasp on the plan from the President’s speech so I went digging for some more info and found a little video explainer put together by the White House crew.

So – from all my reading, I’m gathering this initiative aims to provide 4G coverage to 98% of Americans, while improving technology, lowering the deficit and improving pricing models. Sounds pretty cool – but there are two big obstacles to that. First, this plan relies heavily on increased spectrum, which means those that currently have the spectrum have to give some of it up. This is a big ol’ debate that has a lot of competing interests and I’m not even going to try and break it down right now.

But the more easily solved problem – what the heck is 4G? Right now it is whatever the wireless carriers say it is. There are actual global 4G standards adopted in December 2010 – but so far no one is really offering it. The 4G you see advertised is really just improved 3G and not real 4G. And there’s currently a Blu-Ray/HDVD style debate going on over the technology behind 4G. This is getting a bit above my head – but Mashable has a great breakdown if you want the geek speak.

The difference between 3G and real 4G is huge. You could realistically cancel the Internet connection in your home and rely on your wireless phone as your Internet source without sacrificing speed.

The Mobile World Congressis happening in Barcelona next week – so there’s likely to be a lot of 4G discussion going on there. Hopefully it will provide a clearer picture of what 4G really is.

I guess I’ll just have to be thankful for my now-3G and see what happens next.

Posted under Web/Tech

Three days later and everyone is still picking apart the Super Bowl. And Twitter is no exception.

While the Super Bowl may have been the most watched television event ever, it was not the most tweeted. That honor is held by the Japanese New Year. But it did break records for the most tweets per second (TPS) during a sporting event. Here’s a handy chart from Twitter.

Click to view larger version. Photo Courtesy of Twitter

The highest spike was no surprise – it came near the end of the game. But the second highest was Usher’s (@UsherRaymondIV) entrance during the half-time show. In fact, he was the most mentioned person during the game. The most mentioned football player came in sixth, reinforcing that the Super Bowl is about much more than football. The most mentioned brand? Doritos.

Posted under Twitter, Web/Tech

NBC News and TheGrio.com are teaming up with Foursquare to offer a special Black History Month badge.

If you check into any of the 100 locations around the country with ties to African-American history, you’ll get the badge during the month of February.

The only Iowa location is the Fort Des Moines Provisional Army Officer Training School at 7200 Southeast 5th Street in Des Moines. It was the training schol where African-Americans were trained to be officers in the U.S. Army during World War I.

Unfortunately – I don’t think I’m going to be in Des Moines this month to pick it up. But hopefully a few of you can!

Posted under Holiday, Web/Tech

Anyone who reads this blog knows that I’m a Mac fan at heart. I recently was forced to trade in my iBook, bought in 2003, when the hard drive finally gave out. It was an emotional experience. But I’m loving my new MacBook Pro! It’s amazing how different they are… Check out the picture of the two boxes, side by side on my couch! The iBook box was huge! I’m not sure why I still have it after all these years!

Well, if a laptop can change that much in seven years, let’s go all the way back to 1984. It’s another thing that Mac and I share, we were born in the same year. On this day in 1984, Steve Jobs introduced the Macintosh. And I have to say the introduction was impressive, even for Jobs. The computer itself actually introduces Jobs, who receives a standing ovation and becomes visibly emotional. It’s worth watching…

Happy Birthday Mac!

Posted under Apple, Web/Tech

Well, we’re a little more than two weeks into the new year, and I think it’s time to evaluate and refocus.

I normally make very vague New Year’s resolutions, and maybe that’s part of my problem. My goal is always to improve, whether it is mentally, physically or financially. When I reflect on New Year’s Eve, I want to be able to say that I ended the year better than I started.

So, how do I achieve that goal? In the past it’s been more of a daily challenge to seize opportunities in front of me. But I’m thinking this year, maybe I get a bit more aggressive and at least identify some specific areas for improvement. So here’s the goals I’ve set, the technology I’m using to achieve them and how I’m doing so far.

FINANCIAL – to end the year with less debt and more in my savings account, to create a budget and stick to it

Status Report: I’d say I’m doing okay. So far this year I have increased my charitable giving and actually added to my savings account, so I’m proud of that. But I did go off budget this weekend when I bought a dress that I didn’t really need. On the bright side, it was on clearance and only $7, but it was my first splurge buy of the year. I’ve also ended up spending a bit more on food because of my workout and healthy eating goals (see below). I re-figured my budget a few nights ago and things are still on track as long I stay strong through the weekend. 

Tools: In the past I’ve used an iPhone app called BillMinder that would remind me when my bills were due and subtract them from my income. I had tried out Mint.com, but had never really invested in using it. Last week I went through and updated all of my account info, created a budget and set goals for myself. I like how thorough it is and the variety of alerts I can receive either by e-mail or text message.

VOLUNTEER - to spend more of my time helping other people

Status Report: I’m doing terribly! Last year I was volunteering about once a month. This year I wanted to increase that to at least once a week. So far, I’m 0/2. But I am signed up to help out at the Northeast Iowa Food Bank this week!

Tools: I find out about a lot of opportunities through work and friends. But if you’re looking, you can check out the Volunteer Center of the Cedar Valley. They have a variety of volunteer opportunities that are searchable on their website.

HEALTH – to eat healthy and live a more active lifestyle

Status Report: This goal has two pieces – to be more active and to eat healthy foods. I started my running journey almost two years ago when I decided I was too sedentary and set a goal of running a half marathon. This year I’m upping my game by training for a full marathon in the spring. And so far I am failing on the training front. I have only run a couple times in the last few weeks and the runs have not been nearly as long as they need to be. As for food – it’s been hit or miss. For the most part I’m sticking to fresh foods that are low in fat and sodium and rich in whole grains and protein. I’m also investing more in foods and supplements that will help fuel my aggressive training. There have been a couple days where convenience won out and I hit a drive-thru. But the nice thing about the running and food is that each day is a fresh start. And today I’ve done well with both.

Tools: I use DailyMile to track my exercise. It’s a social networking site for runners, walkers, cyclists and tri-athletes. I can track my stats, map my runs, and connect with other athletes. There are a mixture of beginners and pros, and I love that they help me celebrate the little victories and answer all of my questions as a relatively new runner. For tracking food I use an iPhone app called Lose It! But I’ve also used DailyPlate in the past. Really, you want something that will track your weight, food intake, exercise and nutrients. As I lose weight, it adjusts my calorie goals. And by balancing the calories I burn and eat, it helps me make better food choices.

EDUCATION – to continue to read and learn

Status Report: Making progress…I’m finishing up a photo essay One Million Shillings, I also watched a documentary to help re-inspire my running efforts called Spirit of the Marathon.

Tools: For books, I’m using an app called Next Read where I can record books that I hear about and rate them based on the source. Books recommended by friends rate higher than those I heard about on TV. And when I enter the info, it will look up summaries and reviews. I already have several recommendations stockpiled when I finish up my current book. For documentaries I’m using Hulu. It’s easy to check out my recommendations or what is currently popular and add it to my queue for later. I’m also learning new recipes and cooking techniques from AllRecipes. Again, I like that’s it’s a community where people make suggestions for improvements and rate the recipes. There are lots of photos, and I can customize the recipes before I print them. I’m also planning to try Instapaper. I read about it a few months ago. It is basically a place to store links, but caters to longer, in-depth articles that can be read on a computer, e-reader or Apple device. And I’m also trying to regain my Spanish vocabulary that has fallen into disuse over the last few years. After asking around, I’ve gotten several good recommendations for StudySpanish.com, where much of the content is free. Later this year, I’m looking at actually spending some money over at Lynda.comto pick up some cool new tech skills. They have almost a thousand tutorials that range from beginner to advanced (Twitter, SEO, Drupal, Javascript, Flash, CSS). It’s $25 a month or you can pay an annual fee.

Now it’s  your turn! What are your resolutions, how are you doing, and what technology are you using to achieve them?

Posted under Education, Health, Web/Tech

Here’s something I thought my fellow social media nerds might enjoy! I hope everyone is having an amazing holiday season!

Posted under Holiday, Web/Tech

Most years, I work on Thanksgiving and the day after, so I’ve never faced the Black Friday decision. Last year I contemplated joining in before work, but decided against it.

This year, I’ll be spending the holiday weekend with my sister, and we find ourselves torn – to shop or not to shop?

While I haven’t found any sales worth braving the early hours, extreme cold, and complete chaos, I’m still preparing just in case I change my mind.

Most years, I browse the ads just to see what’s out there. I’m the type of person that I enjoy the real paper ads. I can circle and clip and combine and organize.

But the beauty of the online version is that you can prep earlier, create your shopping list and sign up for e-mail reminders. But I’ve written about that for the past two years on this blog, so I’m not going to cover the same ground again. Here’s a link to the 2009 edition.

This year – it’s all about mobile.

On the App front there are several Black Friday apps that scan in ads, let you create shopping lists, and browse by store or product. I tested a few of the free ones and TGI Black Friday is my favorite so far. It’s available for iPhone and Android.

But a deal is only a deal if it’s the best one around. I’ve mentioned ShopSavvy before, the app where you scan a barcode and see instant price comparisons. New this year is the Amazon app that let’s you scan the barcode or take a picture of the item to compare Amazon listings.

And the apps aren’t just about price. The mall where my sister lives has its own app. I can see a mall map, mall hours, check my gift card balance and even get a reminder about where I parked my car. That might come in handy considering I have difficulty remembering where I park my car on a normal day.

And for those of you in the geolocation game, don’t forget to check in on Friday. Several stores including Sports Authority and Toys R Us are rumored to be offering deals through Foursquare and Facebook Places.

For those who choose to join in – happy shopping! Feel free to share your Black Friday tips in the comments!

Posted under Holiday, Shopping, Web/Tech

I’m breaking my blogging silence.

I saw The Social Network tonight.

And the social media nerd inside of me could have easily moved from the movie theater to a round table discussion on Facebook – the business, the concept, the technology…the thing that in 7 years has become an essential part of our cultural fabric.

But instead I’m sitting on my couch hoping that maybe someone will agree, disagree, identify with my ramblings. At the very least the tap of the keyboard and the blinking of the cursor somehow allow me to process my thoughts.

My parents aren’t on Facebook. I don’t think they’ve ever even seen it. But when we talk about an old friend or even family members, they ask me if I’ve seen anything about them on Facebook lately. They may not realize it, but they have an understanding that Facebook is something powerful that connects me to other people.

The movie made me nostalgic more than anything. I found myself much more absorbed in my experiences than the plot line (however true or untrue it may be.) I am one of the 500 million. I am one of the reasons Facebook is where it is today. I remember when my friends at a smaller college than mine could sign up and my school hadn’t been added yet. I remember going into my bookmarks and changing it from The Facebook to Facebook. And I remember the first time I Facebook stalked this cute guy in one of my classes to see if he was single. Before tagging and newsfeeds and apps – I remember when I used Facebook because it was fun and interesting without any thought of best practices and limited profiles and privacy.

Never before had I thought much about Mark Zuckerberg. Sure, I’ve read interviews, articles about him, blog posts by him. But I knew very little of the back story of Facebook beyond what everyone knows – it started in a dorm room at Harvard.

On the flip side, I probably know more than I need to about many other social media celebrities and technological founding fathers. I find myself caught up in the drama and battles of start-ups and media giants alike. Apple vs. Google. Flash vs. HTML5. How will they monetize Twitter? What’s Hulu doing to TV viewership?

What’s the difference? I’ve gone from someone who used Facebook purely for social interaction, ignorant of the technology to someone critically analyzing and studying social media trends, traffic reports and business models.

Only recently have I become a social media fanatic.

Back when I signed up for Facebook I didn’t even turn on my computer everyday. I didn’t have text messaging on my phone. And if you had asked me what a blog was, I probably would have said, “What?” I signed up for Facebook because my roommate did.

My new media revelation happened a few years later. And now I analyze analytics reports daily weighing pageviews, unique visitors and time on site. I launched a new WAP site this week. I made a widget today. Between work and my personal life I manage 7 Twitter accounts, 1 Facebook account, 3 Facebook pages, 2 blogs, and 3 websites. And I’m the type of person who has moved tables at a restaurant so I can be near an outlet because my smartphone died and I have to plug it in so I can relax.

So where am I going with all of this? I’m not sure.

Facebook has changed a lot in the last few years, internally and externally. And in a purely technological sense so have I.

My Facebook experience was an organic one and it has grown and changed with my new media journey.

And even if I care more about the drama and back story of other companies, I still know that at the end of the day I’ve spent thousands of dollars on Apple products, I can’t go a day without Googling something, I checked in at the movie theater on Foursquare, I watched The Office on Hulu yesterday, I bought my Halloween costume on Amazon and when I finish this blog post on WordPress it will auto post to Twitter. I am still a participant.

If you’re actually still reading, I’m impressed.

Now it’s your turn. Have you seen the movie? What’s your social network evolution?

Posted under Web/Tech

It’s not uncommon for people to get really attached to their cars. People name them, decorate them, argue with them, give them encouragement and in the process, make memories with them. It’s like a relationship.

Well, that’s what it’s been like for me and my iBook G4. I call him Mac, and we’ve been together for 7 years. He isn’t just a machine or a piece of technology, he’s become a trusted friend and travel buddy.

When Mac made a horrific whirring sound that sounded like death throes, I knew he was gone. And the staff at iTech in Cedar Falls have confirmed it. His hard drive gave out, and it almost feels like a little part of me went with him.

Now before you attack me for being melodramatic about a piece of plastic, let me tell you a little about Mac.

We met my freshman year of college. I spilled some tea on a loaner laptop that my uncle gave me. It wouldn’t start back up, I had a paper due and had been informed upon my arrival at the University of Missouri that ownership of an Apple computer was strongly recommended and soon-to-be required.

So I walked into the school store, hardly knowing what I wanted or needed. And within about 30 minutes, Mac and I were on our way back to the dorm.

Mac was with me when I downloaded my first song. I created my Facebook account on Mac. I built my first website using Mac.

Mac and I went to class together, we stayed up late writing papers.

Mac and I have traveled over three continents. He was with me in Khartoum when I would stay up late, documenting the day’s events when it was too hot to sleep. Mac moved to London with me, when I used to have to sit on the steps outside my flat to pick up wireless from the hotel across the street. In the month between when I moved to Iowa and when my furniture arrived, I’d lay on my sleeping bag in the middle of the empty living room floor and watch rented DVD’s on Mac. Mac has even made an occasional appearance on KWWL.

Mac and I during a liveshot at the Iowa Caucus in Des Moines.

Despite the fact that my hard drive was full, he wouldn’t recognize my iPhone and running 3 programs at once was not possible, I still was determined to keep him. In 7 years he never crashed or had a virus.

I know this eulogy is bordering on the ridiculous, but I can’t help it. For 7 years, Mac was often the first thing I saw in the morning and the last thing I saw at night. I haven’t even known many people as long as I’ve known Mac. Despite the shiny new exterior, faster processor and larger hard drive of his replacement, I’ll still miss the slightly scratched surface and tricky clasp on my iBook.

Next week I will officially say goodbye to Mac and send him to the computer afterlife at a recycling center. And I’ll take home his replacement, a 13-inch MacBook Pro.

So goodbye to a faithful companion that lasted longer than most. As silly as it sounds, I’ll miss you.

Posted under Web/Tech