Brain Games - Reengineering A Brain By Gero Miesenboeck

Every once in a while I drop by TED speeches. Some I like, some I don't. This one is very interesting to me because it deals with our brain. The way I see it is if we understand the way our brains work, then we can learn what to adjust to steer our brains to our desired direction. It can be a tool for improvement. I liked the graph made which makes a ton of sense.

Tim Ferriss - The 4-Hour Body

I listened to The 4-Hour Work Week many times during 2009.  I never actually acted upon it, but I found the "hacker" methods fascinating.  I have no doubt that Tim Ferriss is a very smart person.  If you are a web aficionado you probably have heard of Tim.  The purpose of this post is about his latest book called The 4 Hour Body and what I want to get from it.  This will be my Christmas present!

There are two things that I noticed that attracted me immediately.  The first being fat-loss and the second one being the "How to sleep 2 hours per day and feel fully rested".  I want to know why during my excessive and consistent work out times I never got the fabulous abs that you see on magazines. I also want to know how can I sleep less and still be effective. I sleep between 7 to 9 hours a day and see this as a massive waste of time.

Besides wanting to know why my abs never showed and why I couldn't remove the layer of fat that hides I have lately added a few pounds.  Winter times + Holidays = weight gain.  I need to lose 10 pounds in about two weeks for some US Marines training.  More pounds = more pain.  My current methods that I employ are very physical and my knees are in constant pain these days.  I hope to find a few "hacks" to improve my methods.

The sleep time is a must for the type of lifestyle I desire.  Sleeping less is very attractive to me because I see sleep as a waste of time.  If you think about it 8 hours of sleep within 24 hours is a big chunk of time.  I don't want to waste 33% of my life sleeping.  I know that sleeping is essential, so I want to know how can I sleep less and don't feel like crap.

70 pages into the book and so far it's completely fascinating.  I'll do updates on this post about bits that I find interesting.

Few things that I have found interesting so far:

• Minimum Effective Dose (MED) - The smallest dose that will produce the desired outcome
• Marketing - how "everything popular is wrong"
• The Harajuku Moment - The decision to work on our shortcomings
• Calorie sources for weight loss - fats vs protein vs carbohydrates.  Fats aint't too bad! - ties into "Fat Head movie"
• Love the "Don't I need a balanced diet?  NO" quote.  Removing fruits from diet seems like everything I have believed in.  "An apple a day keeps the doctor away!"
• Using cold for fat loss - I used a similar method of drinking lot's of cold water before sleep.  Cold isn't pleasant though...  Cold being unpleasant is a reason why I have gained weight.  Working out in the cold is painful.  But if used correctly as demonstrated in the book, can deliver some very good fat loss results.
• Tim suggest removing a lot of things from diet... things like bread, just about anything sugar related, and even fruit. Tim encourages certain foods like beans, vegies, and protein.
• The sleep chapter is rather short, but gets the point across. It's about scheduling sleep pattern and following that schedule religiously.
• Cold Showers - Painful but extremely useful to help me sleep.

Links:
Google - Tim Ferriss
Amazon - The 4-Hour Body
Amazon - The 4-Hour Work Week

Tablet PC Confusion

Which one is a Tablet PC?

There's tons of "Tablet PC" confusion up in the air.  I got into a conversation with someone from Newgadgets.de about wanting a "tablet pc" with Pixel Qi screen.  He reminded me of the Notion Ink Adam, to which I said I didn't think of it as a "Tablet PC".

So what is a Tablet PC?
Tablet PC's are portable personal computers with a touchscreen. (thx wiki)

By that definition he was totally right.

By that definition it leaves a lot of room for all kinds of devices such as:
iPad is Tablet PC
Lenovo S10-3T is a Tablet PC
Notion Ink Adam is a Tablet PC
Lenovo X201 Tablet is a Tablet PC
Android phones are a kind of Tablet PC
iPhones based on the definition can be considered a Tablet PC

To get rid of this disgusting confusion let's begin calling systems as they really are:
iPad is a slate tablet
Lenovo X201 is a convertible tablet
iPhone is a smart phone
 
Slate tablets mean that the device comes with a touch screen as the main input source.
Convertible tablets are systems that include a keyboard and can transform from laptop to slate mode.

Do you have ideas on how to categorize these devices better?

We need a convertible tablet with Pixel Qi

The Notion Ink Adam is crushing it, and it's not even out yet. Their Pixel Qi screen versions have been "Sold out". They are going to sell tons of their tablets because they are using this awesome Pixel Qi technology. We need a convertible tablet using it because:

A. Eyes
- LCDs toss a lot of light into your eyes. LCDs do degrade your eyesight by "drying" your eyes. In a way your eyes must recover from this constant beating. For those of us who are exposed for many hours to computer monitors the Pixel Qi could help our eyes a lot.

B. Readable in the Sun
- Convertible tablets should be usable in any environment. Outside a building or inside a building, it shouldn't matter. With Pixel Qi this is possible.

C. Battery Life
- One thing that we all want is longer battery life in our mobile devices. Convertible tablets have relied on extended batteries to extend battery life. Imagine having Pixel Qi with an extended battery to prolong the battery life? You could go for tons of hours without having to find a power outlet. This would make convertible tablets truly portable devices.

D. Add your own comment!
- I'm interested in what you guys have to say.
- Add your comment at http://viewtablets.qhub.com/59975/ or comment on this post.

The company that creates a convertible tablet with Pixel Qi will gain massive buzz if they add the screen technology. The Notion Ink Adam is creating tons of buzz because they hold a monopoly. Once Pixel Qi is added to a convertible tablet I'm willing to spend dollars.

Some companies that make convertible tablets:
http://viewtablets.qhub.com/59832/

More info about Pixel Qi at:
http://www.pixelqi.com/

Jesse's Church! - Derren Brown's Hero at 30,000 Feet

No I'm not starting a church... But every once in a while I see something that is simply incredible. If the trailer above got you interested check the Youtube videos below.

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4

Derren Brown is one interesting fellow. There are plenty of lessons that one can learn from Matt's journey.


Some of the headlines on the video:
Crisis
Realisation
Embrace Risk

"Courage is not the absence of fear, is the mastery of fear"

Hero at 30,000 Feet Links:
Official Blog Posting
Derren Brown Interview about Hero at 30,000 Feet

Derren Brown Gear (I got his Tricks of the Mind book)

Cell Phone Browsing - Apple MacBook Air 11.6 Inch

 The glorious MacBook Air 11.6 inch version!

I was going through my cell phone's pictures and ran across a few things.  I had forgotten that I had a few minutes with the latest MacBook Air.  It's actually the most beautiful "netbook" that I have tried.  Yes it's a netbook (small laptop with no disc drive)  I could not test 3D, 1080p video or Adobe Flash, so who knows if it's good with that.  What I tried worked very well.  These are some of the images that I took.

The finish is absolutely gorgeous.

My website looks good.  The screen is wide, bright and colorful!

Best netbook touchpad ever.  Feels good, performs great.

If you slide your finger from one corner to the other the pointer goes over the entire screen.  It's brilliant.  Try it with your current laptop!  Big points for Apple on this one.

One of the most comfortable keyboards I have tried.  I could type perfectly with it.

Yes it's thin.  It makes everything else look thick.

11.6 inch on the left, 13.3 inch in the middle, and MacBook Pro 13.3 inch on the right

Although a bit pricey... I have to admit that the Air is a smooth and beautiful "netbook".  If you want the smallest Mac then this system is worth considering.

If you want to know more check:
http://www.apple.com/mac/
Amazon - Macbook Air Prices

While I was browsing through my cell I found this stuff which I had never seen!

WaaaAAAA

Avermedia AverTV Express mini - Unbox, Software Setup, and Recording Samples

Also posted at http://www.lenovox201.com

Need to view and record TV/Radio and VHS?  This is the AverTV Express mini

Index:
Intro
Unbox and Box Contents
Software Setup
Recording Samples
Conclusion
Images

Introduction to the AverTV Express mini card
The AverTV Mini Express card allows you to view and record analog and digital tv, listen to FM radio, and connect analog sources with the component in cable.

I'm using a Lenovo X201 Tablet to run this card which has a Core i7 and 4GB RAM. The AverTV Express mini card should run without any computer limitations.

From the Official Page:

Features
- Just slim and fit for your laptop. Easy to carry and go!
- Fit 34mm and 54mm ExpressCard slot (With Stabilizer)
- Analog TV(NTSC), Digital TV(ATSC) and FM radio with stereo sound support
- AV in (RCA) input support
- Clear QAM support (Digital Cable)
- High Definition support up to 1080i (AV Resolution 480p)
- 32/64-Bit support
- Fully compatible with Windows 7 / Vista / XP
- Windows Vista Premium Certificated
- Real-time H.264 recording support
- Watch TV programs on iPod

Specs:
- 75 Ω TV Antenna (Digital/Analog/FM Radio)
- S-Video (Using a dongle cable) (Resolution 480p)
- Composite RCA input (Using a dongle cable) (Resolution 480p)

System Requirements:
- Intel® Core™ 2 Duo 2.0GHz Mobile Processor
- AMD® Turion™ X2 Dual-Core 2.0GHz Mobile Processor
- 34mm ExpressCard slot / 54mm slot (with Stabilizer)
- Sound Card
- 1GB RAM or above
- VGA card with DirectX 9.0c
- Windows XP / XP Media Center Edition / Vista / Vista Media Center Edition

Unbox and Box Contents

Contents:

- AverTV Express mini card
- Quick Guide, Warranty
- Installation CD
- TV Antenna
- Suction base and Clip-On base
- RF Cable
- Component In cable (S-Video / RCA)
- Carrying Bag
- 54mm plastic attachment

You can view images of the contents close to the end of this post.


Software Setup
As I will mention on the video. I will not make a step by step guide.  It's very easy to install and configure the software.  (Even a caveman can do it... get Geico...)

The Aver MediaCenter way
Use the disc. The version of Aver MediaCenter found online seems to conflict with Windows Media Center.   I strongly recommend using the disc.  Since there are systems that don't have a CD/DVD drive I will share the contents of the disc.

This is what happens when you use the latest Aver MediaCenter which is found online.

Avermedia please do not sue me.  I'm doing you guys a favor since your most recent version gives an error and therefore is unusable.

You can download the files at:
- Download the software and drivers at http://www.acite.info/files/avertvexpressmini.zip
- Unzip the file and run AutoRun.exe

Advantages of using Aver MediaCenter:
Easily switch between video sources such as analog and digital tv, component cables either RCA or S-Video, and FM radio.
Easily record those mediums.
Desn't feel "heavy" as Windows Media Center feels

The Windows Media Center Way
You can download a driver from Aver Media's website for Windows Media Center.  It's easy to configure the TV tuner so I won't do it.  Going the Windows Media Center method offers an advantage as all the channels you should get are downloaded from an online database and then listed.  Aver MediaCenter scans and then lists, so Windows Media Center is better at listing all the channels in your area.

Get the drivers for WMC at:
http://www.avermedia-usa.com/AVerTV/product/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=478&tab=APDriver

Recording Samples
You can record every input the card can get. Analog TV, Digital TV, FM Radio, Component In. You can also schedule your recordings.  Aver MediaCenter is pretty good as long as you have good signal for the channels you want.

On TV recording
If you have good signal you will be able to view and record some amazing quality TV.  If you have poor signal quality then you will run into trouble. The default file format for the videos is .mpg (I didn't try to switch it)

1920 x 1080 file details:
 - .mpg file format
 - up to 1920 x 1080 resolution
 - 29 frames/second
 - 6 channels audio
 - 48 kHz audio sample rate

720 x 480 file details:
- .mp4 file format
- 29 frames/second
- 2 channel audio
- 48 kHz audio sample rate

On FM Radio recording
Easy

file details:
- .wav file format

On Component In
Sometimes you will get small lines going across the screen.  I'm not sure if they are because of interference, but they happen.  On my tests I have gotten those lines about 70% of the time.  Sometimes there's no lines at all and everything is good.  It's just weird.

PLEASE!!!  lower your volume as these samples can be loud!

Good TV Recording at 720 x 480


Bad TV Recording at 1920 x 1080


Good TV Recording at 1920 x 1080

Bad Component In Recording at 720 x 480


Good Component In Recording at 720 x 480


FM Radio Recording (Outputs .wav files)

Component In Demonstration on Laptop Screen


Component In Demonstration on External Display

Conclusion

If your plan is to watch and record TV and FM radio then this card will work just fine.  For recording Component In I might be a bit causious because it's fairly inconsistent.  To record Xbox, PS3, or Wii I would go for the AverTV Express HD DVR version which is "HD".  If you are a TV or Radio junkie then this card does a fine job as long as you have good quality signal.

Links:
Official Avermedia AverTV Express mini page
Get the AverTV Express mini from Amazon


AverTV Express mini Images

 Left side TV connection, right side Component In

 The plastic piece for 54mm Express Card slots

 Component In cable (Yellow, White, Red, and S-Video)

 TV Antenna.  Comes with two attachment methods (suction base, and clip-on)

 Piece that connects antenna or cable TV to the card

 Manuals and guarantee (who reads this stuff?)

 How it looks attached to my Lenovo X201 Tablet (messy cables!)

Love TV?

Jerry! Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!

Company Websites and Convertible Tablets

I do not like creating content on "how people" should do things.  I rather create content demonstrating a problem and coming up with some suggestions on how to fix those problems or improve an experience.  This post is a bit dry as it's mostly presented in text format.  It's not for everyone.  This post is mostly targeted at those that are seeking exposure.

I must assume a few things... as a fairly "experienced" web browsing dude I can find products even when companies seem to create absolutely terrible web pages.  I have to assume that not everyone can find things as "easily" as I can, and thus I feel there's a problem in the way things are done today.  Convertible tablet pcs offer tons of possibilities and I want to see them become more mainstream.  A big issue against tablets is due to how "hidden" they feel under many big computer maker's websites and lack of incentive for people to talk about them.

My suggestions are based on observation of my own experiences through years of web surfing, self taught knowledge from blogging and video blogging, knowledge acquired through tons of books and magazines, and podcasts that deal with website stuff.

The problem
People searching for convertible tablets cannot find information easily.

The solution
Following my set of "guidelines" can increase the ease of product search and exposure.    My improvement suggestions are as follows:

• Use Product Images on Main Page
• Improve Product Description Pages
• Page Interactivity Features
• Page "Buy" Features
• Search Optimization

1. Use Product Images on Main Page
- The home page should be graphical and demonstrate that which you want people to know about.  Images are what appeals to people first.

- We are very visual so our tendency is to look at images and videos first.  If something is visually appealing then we want to know more.  Text is secondary.

- More clicks on a website is equal to less chances of people finding the content they need.  When someone has to click, and click, and click through a variety of menus to get to a product page it ruins the experience.  It makes frustration happen where there should be none.


2. Improve Product Description Pages
The content of a product page is important.  There are different elements that should be taken into account.

Layout
 - First improve the layout of your entire website.  Make it consistent so every page doesn't change layout radically.  If the website lacks consistency it will throw people off.  A website layout that changes at every page is similar to those seizure inducing cartoons.  Keep it simple, consistent, and visually appealing.

Product Names
 - Use short memorable names for product titles.  Do you remember TXYZ34050 convertible tablet?  probably not.  Numbers and robot like names don't sink in memory easily.  I can say to my buddies "I bought an iPad".  I cannot say "I bought the Dell Alienware AM11x-826CSB".  BTW that Alienware system is a real product name!  (link)  Everyone will try to shorten the name to Alienware M11X.  Don't give your baby a bad name... and ruin it's teenage social life!  It will be made fun of for all of eternity.

There's a bit more about proper names under Search Optimization below.

Product Description
 - Good simple and to the point product descriptions.  What makes this convertible tablet special?  Add enough detail in there, but don't overwhelm the reader.  You can make more descriptive pages and place them under different categories or "tabs".

Combine Text and Images
- Text is important for search engine optimization (SEO).  Images are not "readable" by search engines, thus text is important.  Images are excellent for attracting readers, text are excellent for search engines.  Combine them properly and you got a winner.  When was the last time you used Google?  If you cannot find something through a search engine the product does not exist.  Websites such as Gizmodo, and Engadget are prime examples of image and text combination.

Tech Spec Details
- If your product is aimed at geeks, then geeks need this info.  It's like the "Nutritional Facts" on the side of cereal box.  "Average" people don't read this mumbo jumbo because they might not understand it.  A personal trainer in the other hand will read Nutritional Facts because they study that field. These personal trainers have influence because they suggest certain products to their clients.  It's the exact same with geeks, specs are our nutrition facts.

Drivers and Support
 - Add a link to Drivers and Support on the product page.  I absolutely detest going through "customer service" links.  Customer service is associated with  "something is wrong" and therefore decreases the perceived value of a product.  One company that does this very well is Logitech (example).


3. Page Interactivity Features
As of now many companies allow product reviews on their websites. This is good.  But it's an old trick.  We are living in a "social" era.  All this "social" stuff just means that people can interact with one another.  The first company that implements interactive elements to their product pages will get a lot of buzz and more consumer loyalty.  What are two ways of adding a bit of "social" flavor to a website?  Questions and Answers section and Showcase sections.

Questions and Answers Pages
These can create a tremendous amount of traffic and create tons of pages that can be indexed by search engines.  Massive keyword accumulation does usually increase website traffic.  Yahoo Answers is a a very good example of a Q/A website, too bad there's tons of terrible questions and sometimes even worse answers.  hahaha (example)

Forums are the classic Q/A pages and they don't work to create a positive image.  Usually forums in company websites are associated with people having problems.  More pages in forums lessen the value of a product by exposing huge problems.  When a problem is never solved... it creates a bad image.  Forums might have an answer but the answer is so dug into the topic thread that people seeking solutions won't find them easily.  (example where can I find info on how to improve performance of the ViDock 4 and Radeon HD 5770 in that thread?)

The Q/A formula is simple, it goes as follows:
Someone asks a question
Users post their answers
The author choses the right answer, if the author doesn't choose the winner then it's put up to a vote
Authors and winners are given points.  These points could be used for "awards" and "status".
There can be comments on the answer chosen as the "right" answer.
The final page shows the question and right after the solution

Showcase Pages
"Cool" stuff catches people's attention.   It's like what the Microsoft Kinect is accomplishing on youtube and people are creating crazy modifications. (examples)  In a way we are around this "camp fire" and ideas are shared and everyone feels great about the product they own.  It builds loyalty to the product and to brand name.

In a way it's what the Lenovo S10-3T blog was all about.  Solving problems, creating interesting ideas and sharing them.  Imagine having 100s of Jesse B Andersens creating content on a company's "Showcase" section.  This content can attract massive amounts of traffic.  Since the content is at company website that means that traffic will flow directly to the site instead of going through a third party site like lenovos103t.com and lenovox201.com, thus increasing the possibility of future sales due to brand loyalty.

On a note on creating mini "Jesse B Andersens" or content creators... big corporations have tons of employees that can create content.  I know that creating content for a company one works for usually ends up with super bias and a "infomercial" like feel.  Similar to the Apple iPad commercials using its employees (example).   That Apple commercial in particular is terribly annoying to me because it feels like the iPad is the "second coming of Jesus" where all problems will go away as soon as we get the iPad.  I would feel better about the iPad if someone "human" showed me how they use their iPad.

Being recognized is by far the most important feeling someone can have in this life.  Being recognized is usually called "glory" , which is one strong feeling that is way addictive.  Can you guess why Facebook has caught so much attention with it's users?  It's because of sharing stuff and getting recognized by other people.  With recognition comes a very interesting side effect, we get motivated to create and add more content.

There's a website that is trying to turn gadgets into a "social" thing.  This company is gdgt.com  and I'm a user, but not a fan as it adds tons of restrictions to what it's users can do.  I want freedom dang it!


4. Page "Buy" Features
- Having a button that says "buy" enables a consumer to buy the device  (genius huh?).  I'm really confused why some company websites don't have this on their product pages.  If I'm presented with product X, and I like product X, then why can't I buy product X?

- If you cannot make a conversion (ie sale) then everything your company works for is absolutely useless.  At the end of the day this is the most important thing because selling is equal to putting food on your table.

- Do not clutter the checkout process with tons of other useless "options". You already got the customer, don't give them too many more things to confuse them or lose them.  Give options to upgrade certain elements and that's it.

Note on accessories and software
A product is only as good as what it can do.  If you present cool software or a cool accessory in video format and people like it or feel they need it then they will want to get something similar.  Bland pages with a few images won't do as well as video.  Video can do better because accessories are now 3D, software is more than just an art box since it becomes practical with video demonstrations.  In a way ideas can flow from the presenter to the audience.

5. Search Optimization
Searching is second hand nature for most people now.  If you want to find something then Dr. Google is the man.  So how can Google help finding convertible tablets?  by using the right keywords in names and description and your pages linked.

- Tablet computers can be a slate or a convertible tablet or the classic name tablet pc.  Companies should not assume that a system with a name that includes the letter "T" is automatically known as a tablet computer.  If the name includes "tablet" and people are looking for tablet systems then there's a higher chance of finding a product related to that name.  By adding keywords like "tablet" in your name or description search engines will find them.

Good name = HP Slate 500 = mentions slate which is a tablet
Bad name = HP TM2
Bad name turned into good name = HP TM2 Tablet

- If the search engine on your site sucks (my own blogs for example) then you better do good on other search engines.  All search engines rely on text, so text has to be added on your pages, and places where you post media about the convertible tablets.  There are engines for specific types of content like google for webpages, and now youtube for video, and I use Bing for images.

- Youtube videos for products are completely useless unless you add a way to link that "cool" device to a page where people can find more info.  The traffic can flow from one spot to another.  I see tons of videos made by computer companies that never link or suggest where people can find more information.  Just add the dang link (it takes a few seconds).  Wherever those links go... just make sure there's a way to monetize the page.

- To rank high in Google make cool content that can be linked again and again.  The more sites that link to X page, the higher X page will be on Google.

Other Search Engine Stuff
You can create the best content in the world and never be at the top of a search engine.  The reason might be due to the search engine's way of ranking someone higher than others.  There are new "gate keepers" that control the top rankings in search engines.  For example if I make a Lenovo X201 blog and I'm the first I will automatically be ranked at the top due to the blog's name or "post name" (example - "iPod Nano 6G for running"  who's close to the top?  yours truly.  :-)  ).  However, when a site like Mahalo decides to make their own page about the Lenovo X201 then my blog will be thrown down on the search engine ranking big time.  High ranking sites have automatically more "status" than a shitty blog made by "Jesse B Andersen".  Some companies know how to play the SEO game very well.  Do a "How to play guitar" on google and you will see a Mahalo webpage at the top (see it here).  How do you beat a page like that?  You have to beat them at the linking game.

A ton of faithful readers linking from other sites to your blog is the key to top ranking.  You might introduce your blog to tons of people via video sites like Youtube.  From your youtube video they can go to your blog.  If the information on your blog is useful it will be linked on other websites where people share ideas.  This act in turn gives your website more "status".   The reason my Lenovo X201 blog is not ranked high enough at the moment is because it's not linked enough times.  Currently 64 sites have linked to it.  The Lenovo S10-3T blog has been linked on 485 websites and thus it has secured it's place at the top of Google rankings.


Conclusion
That was a long post.  As a short conclusion I just have to say that there can always be improvements on the way websites work.  The static product page is not enough to create buzz.  If company's website can be improved with the guidelines mentioned above then it could have a very powerful web presence with tons of quality.  If you have suggestions and ideas please add a comment.  I'm interested to know your point of view.

Powering the Brain - Fats are bad for you?

 Human Brain and Skeleton from office.microsoft.com Clip Art and Image Library (Under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License)
Source: knol.google.com

In my quest to know how to improve my memory I must naturally improve my brain.  I began reading Mind Hacks and within it's many useful tips I ran across Tip No. 69, which is all about nutrition.  Tip No. 69 mentioned several fats that you must have.  That nutrition part brought me to a bigger question... What is the brain made of?

I figured let's find out what the brain is made of and then we can take tons of that and magically improve brain performance.  The problem with this is that the brain is made of mostly fat [1].  I'm not a big fan of fats in foods.  There are tons of "bad" things said about fats.

Usually I have tried NOT to eat tons of fats.  Fats make you "big", and they give you "heart attacks" because of the cholesterol that clog your arteries.  At least that's what has been written in the walls of my brain over a lifetime of exposure to mainstream media.  However, if I am to improve my brain then I must eat fats.  I already have fat in my body for sure (my hard and sexy abs don't show up) but my brain is not getting that fat.  So what is preventing my brain from getting this elixir of awesome fat?   Let's find some fat info.

From my bits of experience multiple sources can lead you to knowing more or confusing you. Relying on a single source as the only thing one believes in can lead to ignorance.  In the end having multiple sources is important.

I have two movies that I have seen that deal with food... Super Size Me and Fat Head.  Both deal with food and what fats can do to me if I eat tons of it.

Super Size Me is an anti "fast food" documentary.  And Fat Head is an anti Super Size Me documentary (at least for the fats part and the lawyers using their power).  If you have a bit of time then get some chow and enjoy the movies.

Super Size Me

Fat Head

In both movies I see a "sweet" problem. The problems are sugary and carb related.  This is a problem with my current lifestyle because I love carbs (sweets, and bread).  Having these "sweet" problems might prevent my brain from actually getting the fats that it needs.  I guess if I want to improve my brain then I must begin diminishing carbs (noooo!!!) and maybe increase protein, and vegies.

One note that got me a lot was also how the guy from Fat Head mentions that going on a vegetarian diet made him "depressed". I get my depression times too, but never questioned diet as being part of it. Time to do more research.

For now... I'll just begin having eggs instead of cereal during the mornings.  That should do the trick. :)

Links:
[1] Fats in your Brain
Dealing with sugar cravings
Mind Hacks: Tips and Tricks for Using Your Brain
Brain Games - Derren Brown

Other:
 - Both of those movies do demonstrate several things.  Big food industries want your money.  So they will do things to manipulate the system to benefit their side.
 - I heard from a Nolo podcast that "lawyers own the law".  Maybe it's true!

Future desk - Everything a touch screen?

I'm a big fan of touch screen technology.  I have a X201T right now and enjoy browsing the web with my fingers and writing notes with a stylus.  It comes in handy when I'm not at my desk and I don't have or it's inconvenient to use a mouse.  It's great to have a touch surface for some tasks.  Would I want my entire desk to be a touch screen?  NO.

Pros:
Looks cool
Possibility for some new interactions

Cons:
For writing you cannot beat keyboard input
Where am I going to put my drinking cup?

Why does everyone who have a touch screen do when they get a multi-touch system? resize pictures.  I'm guilty of resizing pictures for demonstrations too.  There's just not very many good multi-touch programs on Windows systems to demonstrate anything multi-touch.  MS Surface programs are not really useful for anything.  There are a ton of iPad apps that developers could copy for Windows touch systems.  To me it's weird that there's not enough buzz around it.  Maybe with the new buzz about tablets there will be more programs.

What's something more useful than a big touch enabled desk? multi-touch + stylus input.

With multi-touch + stylus you can do gestures movements with your left hand and precision with the right.   For tasks like editing and creation of art multi-touch can be excellent.

When it comes to writing you cannot beat keyboard input. Touch screens do not provide the feedback that you need.  When I see systems like the new Acer Iconia and the Toshiba Libretto I can only imagine the pain of writing long bits of text.  Is speech to text the solution?  I say no.  Speech to text systems like Nuance Dragon Naturally Speaking and Microsoft's Speech Recognition won't do it.  Voice is annoying to everyone around you and you, it's not private.  It's a similar experience when you are at dinner and someone pulls out their cell phone and talk to their friends, it's just uncomfortable for the people around.  Maybe if you are in your home office and it's totally silent.

When I was in Iraq and my down time allowed it I thought about a perfect work setup.  I have a few ideas of what that setup can be.  As I have said before, the ultimate work setup is that which allows you to do what you do in less time.  That way you can get in and get out, and then go clubbing or enjoy life outside of the virtual world.  Maybe that can be a little project of my own, the ultimate desk setup! 

Links:
http://gizmodo.com/5701335/what-if-your-entire-desk-were-a-touchscreen

OCOSMOS OSC1-TC - A Gaming UMPC?

I have seen this system several times over the past year. I requested a sample unit, but didn't get a reply. The UMPC systems haven't made that much buzz lately thanks in part to the tremendous attention that slate tablets have obtained. Slate systems for most situations aren't that good anyways for the lack of keyboard input. UMPCs usually do have touch screens and some models also offer a keyboard. Now... what makes this UMPC special? The side buttons called Omos Keys. Those Omos keys can be programmed to do many things. One of the options with the Omos keys could be things like a "directional pad" on the left side and action buttons on the right for gaming.

Most UMPCs have attracted me because they are full Windows capable systems and they can fit in your pocket.  Two of my most memorable UMPCs have been the Sony Vaio UX series and the Viliv S5 series. Both very attractive because of their portability.   One thing that I have always wished they had is side buttons or joysticks like the ones you find in portable gaming systems. With a Windows UMPC you can play game emulators and with emulators you can play tons of classic games from the NES, SNES, N64, Playstation and even some more recent consoles.  The OSC1 can be such a good gaming system that can play more games than any existing system.

Image by UMPC Portal

Pairing up the OSC1-TC with OnLive could open up "hardcore" modern gaming in a tiny system. :)

Some specs:
Dimensions - 174 x 83.4 x 15.9 mm
CPU - Intel Oak Trail at 1.5Ghz or 1.9Ghz
GPU - 400Mhz GPU with 720p decoding
OS - Windows 7
Wireless - Wifi (bgn) + Bluetooth 2.1, GPS, and 3G
Display - 5 inch TFT at 1024x768 + Touch capacitive
Input - Querty Keypad, Omos Key Interface
Storage - 32GB SSD, Micro SD card slot (supports up to 32GB)
USB - 2 ports (one standard and the other mini)
Camera - 2 cameras (5MP and 1.3MP)
Video Out - HDMI
Audio - Speaker, MIC, 3.5mm earphone jack
Sensors - Gyroscope, proximity and light sensors
Battery - Li-Polymer. Around 3 hours with standard battery, 5 to 7 hours with extended.
Price - ??
Release Date - Expect a 2011 launch

Image from UMPC Portal
Doesn't this look like a PSP or what? 

What can you do with the system?
Windows 7 computing (tons of stuff)
Media and some 3D capability for gaming

Can this concept work?
I think it can work out if you need a very mobile system. It basically has the specs of a netbook, and if your requirements aren't super high then this can be an excellent system to carry around.  Obviously it's more portable than a big laptop and if you can use it for other things like media playback and gaming that's a big plus. The keyboard seems ok, for things like writing small bits of text it will work out. For longer periods of typing you could pair up a keyboard. With the USB ports and the HDMI out you can have a mini workstation.

OCOSMOS OCS7
Gaming and Gaming Application (This is before the OSC1-TC system)

Links:
Company Website - ocosmos.com
Official Youtube - youtube.com/user/ocosmos1
View OSC1-TC Images at the UMPC Portal Gallery
Article at UMPC Portal
Article at GottaBeMobile.com
Article at Electronista
Join the GDGT discussion

Image from UMPC Portal
You bet it has the L and R shoulder buttons!