Rave: bit.ly

If any of you have not heard of this site, bit.ly is an internet URL shortener. It is a simple concept mostly invented for twitter so you can have a link in your post and still keep it under the 140 character limit. You go to their site the turn your super long link into a bit.ly/(insert random characters here). or even write your own little link. Example http://bit.ly/aboyandhistv

The reason this is a rave is for some cool features you get from logging into their page. The first is statistics. It will tell you how many people have clicked on your link, where they clicked on it from, and show some places that it is found on the internet, like twitter posts.

Here is the coolest option. The whole reason they get this rave today. If you click on the "Info Page+" for your link they even give you a QR code. A QR code (short for Quick Response) is this 2D bar code that you can scan and it will take you somewhere. If you scan this one you will go to my other blog. To scan it you do need usually and iOS device or Android device. Android comes with the bar code scanner built in. For iOS you need a program such as RedLaser or Paperlinks. Once you scan it it brings you right to the web page that you shortened on bit.ly. That is awesome.

Rave: Square Up

This small contraption in my fingers in a Square card reader. What does you do? you ask. Well that is simple, it reads credit cards. Where does that headset plug plug into to make it work? An iOS or Android product of course. (Supposedly the most preferable is an iPad, but I am happy to use my iPhone 3gs.)

Here is the actual information. You download the app called Square, which has an icon that looks just like the card reader, then they check your credit and if you are not a terrible person they will send you one of these card readers for FREE. Once you receive it you can use it to take credit card payments and generate receipts. (Very awesome for a small business or someone who does jobs like computer repair on the side.) Like any credit card taking company SquareUp does take a small percentage, (2.75% plus 15¢ per scan.) but it is comparable or better than most other companies, and the card reader comes free. All you need is to have a phone before and you are golden.

Square thank you for letting me avoid having people give me checks or change. Me, welcome to the future.

Rave: Blue Coat K9

K9 Web Protection I just have to give a shout out to. If you are a parent who wants to control what your children are doing on the internet, or a worried wife,or just a guy who wants to make it impossible to get to bad website, this is for you.

K9 is the best web filter I have ever seen. It is finds bad sites, and it doesn't bother you about good ones. There are some things that I unblock,. like social networking, because I like facebook and twitter. Overall it is a really good experience.

The thing that makes K9 better than most is that it runs in the background of your computer without letting you know. This does two important things: one, doesn't annoy me, two makes it so that the web is controlled on anything. Some filters only work for one browser, but not K9, it will filter your web if you are using IE, Firefox, chrome, or even something like the web browser hidden in iTunes or something. It does not let you around. There is only one way out, the password (if you lose that, the email that you signed up with, so wives you sign up.) If you try to close the file running in the background, no internet will work till you restart your computer, so it does not let you go around it. (The only way I know how to get around it is use a different OS. This has been very tricky till recently when you can put Linux on a flash drive and just plug it in whenever you want to boot from it, convenient, but not cool for filtering.)

There are some other cool features too, like you can turn down your filter, but it will alway, no matter what, keep a history of all the sites you go to. Something else cool is restricting times when people can use the internet. I have a friend whose kid was staying up all night watching online videos, so she blocked it after midnight, problem solved.

The only down side to K9 is that it is only available for Windows and Mac, for most users that is awesome, Linux nerds need to find another way.

I just wish there was something like this for smart phones.

Rant: Google Calendars on iOS

This is only a rant because it is complicated. It took me a while to figure this out, and my friend didn't know it was possible till I told him yesterday so you all get a blog.

If you have an iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad and use google calendars you may be frustrated to see only one calendar sync. This means you no longer get all those cool colors and organization. Good news is google already fixed the problem, you just have to set it up.

First thing is you need to have your gmail account set up through google sync/active directory not the regular google icon.

Second just go to m.google.com/sync on your mobile device and choose which calendars you want.

Tada you have all your calendars and all their color back.

If you are having any problems go to http://www.google.com/mobile/sync/ and google will help you through it with pictures and all.

Rave: General Conference

Today and tomorrow we have the chance to listen to Apostles and the Prophet and other General Authorities. Take advantage of the opportunity.

Watch, read or listen to any of it here: http://new.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2010/10?lang=eng