EA Sports Active

We’ve had lots of fun trying out the EA Sports Active Game for the Wii.

The basketball, volleyball, tennis, and running are fun. Also, compared to the Wii Fit game, there’s a fast transition between exercises. The resistance band that comes with the game is great for toning upper arm strength.

What’s also fun about the game is that two people can play at once and it tracks your progress.

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Cupcake is Here!!!

Well it’s finally here!  Although yummy edible cupcakes are a delight, this isn’t your grandma’s cupcake we’re talking about.

The much anticipated Android version 1.5 also known as “Cupcake” finally reached my phone through the Over the Air (OTA) update.

Android is the operating system that Google developed and is in use for the G1 by T-mobile.  This year is called year of the Android because many carriers will start releasing Android phones.  Think of it as if Apple opened up the iPhone software and let any phone company put it on their phones for free.  That’s what Android is doing.  It’s a cell phone revolution.

Android links to a “Market” or “App Store” from the phone where you can purchase or download for free applications for the phone.

One of the coolest is called SkyMap which lets you see the constellations in the night sky with labels. It’s awesome:

The other day, we used the phone and Google Street view to take a reminiscing tour of the Eiffel Tower. I could hold the phone up, and when I turn, the view on the phone would pan, rotate, etc. according to how I was holding the phone. It’s pretty cool.

I’m developing an application for the phone (not nearly as cool as SkyMap, but it will be useful and fun).

“My Tracks” is another great application for the phone. We’ve used it when out hiking.

A few new features in Android 1.5 Cupcake:

Here are few more videos from the older release of Android, but that still highlight what’s cool about Android:

Using the Map Application to view Traffic Conditions

Using the Window Shade to see New emails, Text messages, calendar events

Customizing the Home Page and Searching for Applications

I also like that the phone lets me create a password to access the phone.  It’s a simple customizable pattern that you use by sliding your finger on the phone.  Just think of all those executives who use a Blackberry and if they leave their phone somewhere have suddenly opened up their entire corporate network, their email, etc.

Everybody loves Cupcakes! This was uploaded using the camcorder on the phone. The upload can go straight to YouTube.

It’s estimated that there will be 12 to 20 new Android based phones released this year, so if you’re on AT&T, Verizon, or other major carriers, you’re chance is coming soon.  It’s been proposed by analysts that in the next few years, Android based phones will outnumber the iPhone which right now has command of the smart phone market.

Go Android!

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Couldn’t Resist the Closed Captioning

Closed Captioning is a service offered by television stations for the hearing impaired. The service lets viewers read dialog in the show. You may have seen this feature on DVDs or other media.

YouTube has allowed publishers to upload a Closed Caption (CC) file. I thought it might be a good idea for some promotional videos I’ve done and couldn’t resist creating our first file with the video of Megan.

Below, she’s looking out a the neighbor’s dogs running around in the street.

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Google Chrome Web Browser in 3D – No Joke

Okay, we know that Google likes April Fools Jokes (the company was organized on April 1st if I’m not mistaken), and each year, the Google team comes up with a funny announcement.

There are quite a few different jokes Google is playing this year; however, one of them actually works.

It’s the Google Chrome Web Browser and the April Fools Day Feature is that you can view pages in 3D with 3D Glasses.

The instruction page jokes that you need to print out your 3D glasses (think about it, print out your glasses?).

However, if you download the 3D version of the browser, you can actually view web pages in 3D by clicking the glasses button.

After installing the 3D version, here’s what our page looks like obviously, you need the glasses for the 3D effect, but you can see how it makes your eyes go crazy just like when you’ve slipped your glasses off during a 3D movie and look at the screen.

Click the image below to see the detail.

Download the 3D version of the Google Chrome Browser here. Have Fun, No Joke!

Then go get some real 3D glasses (maybe leftovers from those 3D superbowl commercials).

– Update — It seems funny, now but more and more things are going 3D. You can buy 3D versions of movies and watch them on your 3D enabled flat screen TV.

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Another Reason to get Android

Okay, here’s another cool reason to get the Google G1 Android phone:

The Google G1 phone uses Android as an operating system and that system allows you to download additional programs or “apps” to your phone.

The new My Tracks application shown below is pretty cool.  It will track your route while you run, hike, walk, or bike using GPS.  It will tell you how high you climbed, how fast you went, and can help you track your data week after week!  The application is called My Tracks and is made by Google.  Other applications can/are made by third-party developers and most can be downloaded and installed free of charge.

I got a Google Android Phone a couple weeks ago.  This would have been pretty cool on our hike last year up Lone Peak.

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