Image courtesy of ISLOnline

So this co-worker of mine just had his first child.

When Sami and I had Maggie (in the Booming 90′s), I took two weeks off, and then worked half-time (for half-pay) for, I think, two months.  This was my manager’s offer instead of me taking off a full month (without pay)  for Family Leave, which was a pretty new law then.  Sami and I talked it over, and we decided that was the best course of action.  But I was completely unavailable for two weeks, and for the next couple of months I was–how shall we put this?–at quite a bit less than my best.  I was of course tired… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

How huge is Facebook? A recent estimate says:

Facebook accounts for 95 percent of social networking time on internet in United States. It has been found that on an average 1 out of every 7 minutes U.S online users spends their time in using Facebook .

As a result speculation of what a Facebook IPO (initial public offering, in other words becoming a publically traded stock) might look like has run rampant.

Carly sent along an article at BusinessWeek that discusses how the massive IPO would further illuminate the dependance of California on capital gains taxes and how the volatility – particularly with the economic downturn the last few years – has hurt the state, saying it

shows the boom-and-bust cycle that capital gains taxes often inflict on California’s budget. In fact, capital-gains tax revenue as a percentage of the state’s general fund plummeted from 12 percent to just 3 percent between 2007 and 2009 as investors pulled away from the stock market, a decline of $9.3 billion, according to state finance department figures.

“It is a significant concern,” said Gabriel Petek, an analyst at Standard & Poor’s, which ranks California’s credit the worst among its peers at A-. “It’s probably one of the things that presents a structural impediment to the rating and makes it hard for the state’s credit rating to move up into the AA range that the typical state is.”

Now we have an infographic that breaks down the estimated 10+ billion IPO (6x bigger than Google’s 2004 IPO), the 25 BILLION Mark Zuckerberg could make, and more! Check it out!… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

As I push deeper into middle age, I spend an increasing time thinking about how to deal with the fact that my parents will, inevitably, not be as active and (let’s face it) physically capable of doing stuff as they were when I was a kid.  Heck, I’m not as physically capable; for my Mom and step-Mom, it can’t be any better, right?

Sonamba has one potential remedy–they’ve developed an easy-to-use device with a 7″ touchscreen and a bunch of apps that lets you keep in touch with your ‘rents via a multiple of means.  Is it a total solution?  Of course not.  Will it be helpful to you as your ‘rents get older?  Well, I… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

I’m a big fan of foursquare and check in often enough that family members will remind me if I don’t do it quickly enough. After months with no mayorships, except a brief period I was major of a tram station in Las Vegas during CES 2010, I have finally become the major at a number of our local favorites.

This evening we decided to grab a bite at Chili Willie’s, a family-run mexican restaurant in town. (I’m not yet mayor there.)

When we sat down Elana was momentarily ticked at herself. It seems she had a $10… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Panic time!  It’s Friday!  Christmas is Sunday!  Augh!  Still a few people on the list!  What are you going to get, eh?  What?  WHAT!

Well, if you’re shopping for an adult, the folks at Vineloop say:  ”Yo, how about some wine?”  This is what they say about Vineloop:

Vineloop is the world’s first trust-based recommendation sharing platform that helps you discover more of what you love in life.

At the core of Vineloop is the invention of the Trustline™.

The best recommendations in life tend to come from a very small number of people who we know and trust. By identifying these personal experts and assigning them as a Trustline, you instantly gain access

One thing I like about the Facebook Timeline view (perhaps the only thing) is the ability to hop back in time to see what was going on in 2007. Now TimeHop will help you get a daily dose of short-term nostalgia. TimeHop sends a daily email of the user’s activity on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and Instagram, from exactly one year ago. You simply link those accounts and then you start getting a daily update of exactly what was happening the year before!

Does that sound interesting to you? If so, head to TimeHop and check it out!

Source: Neatorama

Okay, so there’s Facebook, right?  And there’s internet chat, and internet video chat, and web chat (and don’t get me started on ChatRoulette).  And there’s games–computer games, and internet games, and interactive games, MMPORPGs, and I don’t know what all.  All this different stuff.

Well, Rounds for Facebook has kinda smooshed them all together and gives you a Facebook video chat gaming kinda thing to do with your remote pals.  I’m not a big Facebook guy myself–I simply don’t trust their security (or should I say, “security”)–but let’s face it:  I’m in the minority.

Here’s what the makers say about it:

With no other like it out there, Rounds for Facebook combines video chatting with

(image courtesy FailBook)

It’s December. It’s time for snow, family, shopping…and of course, holiday parties and New Year’s celebrations. Plus, if you’re a senior in high school you probably sent off your college applications. Just remember…what goes on Facebook is never really private, so please, from your friends at Gear Diary, think before you post, especially as you celebrate the holiday season!

If you’ve just applied to college, your next step after that application goes in the mail is simple: lock down your Facebook page. According to the Huffington Post, admissions officers often check Facebook to find out more about potential students. So think before you post those pictures of your… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

I doubt that anyone would seriously debate that we have lost significant freedoms in this country over the last decade, though it is generally presented with a caveat that what has changed was needed for enhanced security. Sometimes this is true, other times it is for the appearance of greater security, and other times it is simply an authoritarian power grab.

Which is why this story is so awesome! Last week I heard about the high school girl had gone to a ‘Youth in Government’ program event and had tweeted:

Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot

Although she actually didn’t speak out at the… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of accounts in a lot of different places.  Google; Yahoo; Facebook; Skype; I don’t know what-all, frankly.  And many months ago I thought, “Yeesh; I sure would like it if all my IM accounts were in one place!”

And then ShapeServices asked me to review IM+, an app that allows you to access all your IM accounts in one place.

I’ll keep this short:  I use IM+ all the time, both the iPhone and iPad app version, and online via their web interface.  I find it an enormous help.  Maggie, my 16 year-old daughter, also uses it regularly, so you can see that it’s… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

(Maybe Agatha could help? [Girl Genius by Phil Foglio, all rights reserved])

Looking for information on science?  You have to be careful; there’s a lot of dangerous mis-information out there.  You probably don’t want to listen to this guy, even if he does have a master’s degree (“IN SCIENCE!”):

And I think it goes without saying you don’t want to trust this dude, either:

But where should you go?  Who should you ask?  It’s confusing!  But worry no more!  Bill Nye, The Science Guy, is here to help!

Launching  November 16th at the Toshiba Innovation Facebook page (facebook.com/ToshibaInnovation).  Check it out, before you get blinded . . . by SCIENCE!  I’ll let them tell it, since I’ve wasted enough of your time today already:

Could a new Facebook App be the answer to many of those age-old questions about science? Bill Nye the Science Guy says yes it can – and he’s teaming up with Toshiba and The Planetary Society to do just that!

The new Bill Nye: Consider the Following on Toshiba Vision Facebook app, launching  November 16th at the Toshiba Innovation Facebook page (facebook.com/ToshibaInnovation), lets visitors use a fun app to submit any science question they would like to see Bill answer.  Questions will be submitted for voting and the ones picked as the most popular will be answered by Bill up in lights on the huge Toshiba Vision screen in Times Square, as well as on Facebook.

Okay, I should have seen it coming when that Facebook guy had a movie made about him.  But honestly, I pretty much ignore social media except with regard to using it to find old friends who have dropped out of touch.  (Hi, Ed!)  In the main, though, I’m a luddite in this area, and I admit it.

But even me, grumpy old phart that I am, should have been able to predict kid’s games and social activities moving into the social media arena.  Didn’t I sign my kids up for Disney Interactive something like 3-4 years ago?  Aren’t I a computer nerd?  Don’t I contribute to Gear Diary?  What the heck is wrong with me, anyway?… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Last year, it was, we told you folks about EgoBook, a Facebook app that allows you to create books from your Facebook info (status updates, wall posts, and the like).  I guess they’ve done okay, because now the EgoBook folks are offering a new format, in hardback:  large format 8.25″ x 10.75″ (21cm x 27cm).  This strikes me as a pretty nice upgrade, honestly; if you’re wanting to create an EgoBook for yourself, why not make it hardcover?  Looks better, plus it lasts longer.  Seems like a good deal to me.

Here’s what EgoBook says:

EgoBook now exists in a brand new Large Format (21x27cm), with a rigid cover (hardcover).

The pictures are printed

Kobo’s had an up and down year. They released their Kobo Touch reader to great acclaim, but lost a major partner when Borders collapsed. On the upside, they’ve chosen their social media dance partner better; Kobo and Facebook are working hard to bring Kobo’s “Reading Life” to the new Facebook news streams!

Basically, this one-ups Goodreads and similar websites by pushing reviews and updates on what you’re reading right from the book to Facebook. Plus it ties readers closer to Kobo, always a win in a very competitive ebook environment. It’s also interesting that Kobo managed to get their CEO an appearance at F8. That shows a tight level of integration with Facebook, and could lead to a… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

There are times when the virtual world seems very real. I know that I consider my fellow writers on Gear Diary my friends, even though all of us have not met in person. But there’s a difference between real and virtual friendships, and I recognize the difference. Apparently, for some very orthodox jews, there is no difference, and that’s what Faceglat is for.

Effectively, it’s a Facebook-style website, but it’s gender-separated. Women and men maintain separate Faceglat areas, just as they would in a real life gathering. On the surface, it’s not that weird, but if you stop and really think it through, it’s just an empty gesture designed to make very religious jews feel better. The reality… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...