Google really got my attention with a recent addition to it’s much-anticipated Browser entitled “Chrome.” While still considered a beta release, the new feature enables bookmark syncing across multiple computers. This all happens via cloud computing.

Which got me thinking...How far are we away from having browser user accounts? One could log into a computer with a username & password and BAM...not only do you have your bookmarks, but any plugins, skins, history and anything else that you tweak to make your browser fit your workflow. Scenario: You are at work researching a couple of different web design techniques, filling out your timesheet and listening to a cool new song on grooveshark. Suddenly, you realize - it’s 5:25 and you gotta pick up your son from daycare by 6:00! Out the door you run & make to your son at 5:55. Sigh of relief. Now when you get home, you gotta remember all of the pages you had open, what you were doing, ect. What if you could just log into the browser and everything populated right where you were when rushed out the door at work? I’m sure there are plenty of logistics and other things that I am completely unaware of in order to make it work - but if anyone could, it would be Google. It would make web browsing a completely portable experience. Such a feature would surely put Google at the head of the browser wars, right? Google is currently also working on its own version of a desktop OS....

For those of you who think in pictures, have I got a treat for you. Cooliris (ver. 1.10) is a free browser plug-in that lets you search the web visually.

Looking for an image on Google, Yahoo, Flickr, Picasa, deviantArt or video clip on YouTube? It all can be viewed on a gorgeous 3-D wall that in most cases seems to go on forever. After installing, your browser will be equipped with an icon that launches this 3D wall in full screen mode. You can also browse by category (new, entertainment, shopping, etc.) all within the same window.

But it doesn't stop there - you can view your iPhoto library or any other folder of images on your computer in Cooliris. Controlling the wall with the scroll ball on your mouse is not only very fluid, but also pretty dang fun too.

Even cooler - its available for iPhone. The recent update (ver. 1.4) adds Twitter integration and with the creation of a Cooliris account, the ability to save favorites, subscribe via RSS and much more. As Macworld put it in this article, "Cover Flow for Web browsers with a little Quick Look thrown in for good measure? Yep, that’s the gist."

Give it a look, words can't describe the cool factor here. And that's the point - no one reads words anyway, right?

I happily raised my hand to critique the new version of a show from my childhood. Knight Rider. I thought watching an old favorite that has been updated with a kick-ass car, based off a new Mustang Shelby GT500KR would be fun.

But sometime over the last 20 years, KITT turned into a full-blown transformer. What? Yeah. Within the first 5 minutes, KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand) transformed into a dragster, a pickup truck and something that resembled a hovercraft!? You know, special effects are cool – being an artist, a lot of times I will watch a movie specifically for that reason – but damn, this was an assault on the senses. I made it to the first commercial break before deleting the episode from my DVR.

You know, I guess the original '82-'86 series  may have been cheesy too (what wasn't in the 80's?), but the new series adds about 10 layers of special effects' cheese. At least in the old days we had the Hoff. Thanks for ruining a childhood memory.

There's a strange phenomenon taking place in the world today. Social networks http://twitter.com/, which were meant to connect people & foster friendships, are now being combed by companies searching for negative comments about their products/services. Blog alerts http://www.google.com/alerts notify CEOs when their companies are under scrutiny on the web. Call it web 2.0, call it common courtesy, the bottom line is corporate America is starting to listen to its customers –- and that's good for the little man. They can't afford not to –- their brand's integrity is at stake with each negative post from an unhappy customer on a blog or forum.

My question is, "When is the medical field going to follow suit?"

Do you have back problems that are keeping you out of work? Need to see a neurosurgeon? You'll have to wait until you can get in to see your family doctor for a referral -- "... that'll be only three days, sir. Oh, but you're gonna have to have an MRI before seeing the surgeon... gonna have to wait a week for that. Got your MRI? Great, now it'll be another week to get in to see the Neurosurgeon."

And when that glorious day comes...

The neurosurgeon will tell you that you're (essentially) over-reacting and you'll have to chase him out into the hallway asking questions because he's blatantly not concerned about your condition. "You don't need that procedure, you need this other one" -- which you've had in the past and HAS CLEARLY not helped you or you wouldn't be back. And, I hope you aren't still in pain, because he won't give you a prescription for anything. You'll have to go back to your family doctor for that (who will accuse you of "drug-seeking" & send you to ANOTHER doctor (a "pain management" specialist) in order to get some relief. "Thank you Dr. Guarnaschelli. Yes, I'm calling you out."

With all that said, will I get a response to this post from someone at his practice? I'll hold my breath.... maybe that will help with the pain.

Apple again stands to make history on July 11 with its release of the iPhone 3G. And while there will be no shortage of lines filled with loyal Apple fans, this loyal Apple fan will be quite happy downloading the software update to his "old" iPhone.

The most important of all updates (and I won't go into all of them here) is the compatibility with AT&T's 3G network. Download speeds are supposed to as high as 1.4 Mbps. This is comparable to EDGE network's speeds of between 75kbps & 135kbps. While that is better, it's still not as good as WiFi. The bigger problem (for me - not everyone) is that I don't live in one of the 280 metro areas covered by the 3G network, so my phone bill would go up & I would still be using the EDGE network.

GPS is a new feature that a lot of people are buzzing about. The drawback there is, it does not have map data loaded into (like popular GPS units) therefore it requires a constant data connection. And lets face it, battery life isn't something that iPhones are known for - the 3G version being only slightly better.

So, for now I will live with my decrepit 4-month-old iPhone which is about to get new life breathed into it with the new software update. But I will have to take Rick's for a spin. ;)

That is, 5 websites that promise to keep you in the know and know-how.

John Nack on Adobe (Blog)
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