Tech Talk

Anyone with Internet access now has easy, direct access to what is widely considered one of the most sacred places on earth.

An Israeli university student has recently set up a Twitter account where prayers and intentions could be directed for regular placement within the crevices of Jerusalem’s Western Wall, Reuters reports.

Alon Nir, of Tel Aviv, told the wire service he would print out the prayers and drive them to the Jewish holy site believed to be a direct line to God.

However, the petitioners must keep their intentions brief, as they are restricted to Twitter’s 140 character limit.

Nir told Reuters he hopes his efforts will be “beneficial to people all over the world.”

Recent intentions include safe travel, finding a job and for improved health.

The news agency reports that prayers arrive from overseas via mail, e-mail, text message and fax from around the world, often addressed simply, “Dear God.”

More epic than the rivalry between the Red Sox and the Yankees, Seinfeld and Newman or even Batman and the Joker is that between the BlackBerry and the iPhone.

I, a loyal and long-time BlackBerry user, find myself torn between these two gadgets as my AT&T contact comes up for renewal. 

I can’t seem to find a clear consensus among friends as to each one is superior — everyone is committed to their gadget of choice — so I turned to the all-knowing Internet for some guidance.

Among the better comparison articles I found on the topic was on Wired.com.

Among the highlights:

In terms of applications:

“I’ve not been impressed by the application selection the Blackberry offers. While there are some free applications, most are second rate at best and the selection of pay applications isn’t nearly as robust as it should be. The Blackberry App Store is like a pawn shop that only sells used 8-track players.

…

Application development on the iPhone has been one of the highlights of the device since its inception. Developers are encouraged to design and sell their own applications, and there are thousands of applications available in the iPhone App Store. Even though there are several hundred useless applications, there are hundreds more to make life easier in the palm of your hand.”

In terms of physical attributes:

“The touchscreen and motion sensibility on the iPhone is unmatched by any other touchscreen devices. Bump to exchange contact information, play games by tilting the phone, zoom in with a finger slide motion. It’s simply amazing technology and even the touchscreen Blackberry Storm doesn’t come close. But you still wouldn’t want to drop an iPhone more than once.

…

Even if it gets run over by a truck the Blackberry still holds its form, avoids cracks and doesn’t lose a key. The Blackberry, built for business and travel, is a durable and strong phone.”

In terms of gaming:

“Playing games on the iPhone is a fantastic and handy experience, especially multiplayer games. “

In terms of functionality:

“Companies run Blackberry server products. From the connectivity to Microsoft Exchange server and the ease of mobile e-mail, the Blackberry is far superior to the iPhone.

…

The iPhone has more storage, a faster CPU and more RAM. … As I’ve witnessed at work, the iPhone is the anti-productivity phone.

…

Recently, the iPhone became compatible with Exchange Server, which was a huge step toward integrating with business.”

The writer’s conclusion … a tie?

“The bottom line is, we’re geeks. Geeks like awesome tech toys and the iPhone is certainly that. From its gaming to its thousands of unique and specific applications, it’s a device that every geek wants to carry even if they already have a Blackberry.”

And you know what? I agree.  We are all geeks.  However, with that said, I think I will eventually give in and purchase an iPhone and abandon my beloved BlackBerry. 

And here’s why:

• Superior video and photo capabilities
• Ability to surf the real Internet, as opposed to the mobile net
• Access to tens of thousands of spectacular and practical applications
• Ability to remotely erase data if phone is lost or stolen
• Fewer keystrokes
• Easier data entry through a variety of techniques
• Ability to store and listen to music

Though with that said, there are things I fear about the iPhone, including:

• Including having to type on a screen, rather than keys
• Horror stories concerning battery life
• Limited third-party support
• Loss of MMS capabilities
• Only being to use one application at a time
• Durability of the iPhone screen
• Speaker phone is less than adequate
• Inability to save documents

While texting and driving has always been considered dangerous, a new Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study really puts things into perspective.

According to the research, which the N.Y. Times reports is the first of drivers text messaging inside of their automobiles, far surpasses estimates based on laboratory research.

The study to be released Tuesday found, according to the Times, that when drivers texted, their collision risk was a whopping 23 times greater than when they were not.

The cabs of long-haul trucks were outfitted with video cameras — at the cost of $6M – over 18 months and across 3 million miles to gather the data, the newspaper reported.  More than 100 truckers were studied.

Also frightening:

“In the moments before a crash or near crash, drivers typically spent nearly five seconds looking at their devices — enough time at typical highway speeds to cover more than the length of a football field.”

While trucks take longer to stop and are less maneuverable than cars, researchers say the conclusions can be applied to all drivers, the Times reported. 

The study was financed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration whose mission is to improve safety in trucks and buses.

Tom Dingus, director of the Virginia Tech institute, told the Times that the results are clear:

” ‘You should never do this,” he said of texting while driving. “It should be illegal.’ “

While Connecticut currently has a ban on operating hand-held cell phones while driving, the Connecticut Post last week called it a failure:

“This is not a matter of personal liberty, or the state taking away your rights. If an action is proven to bring great risk to others on the road, as operating a cell phone surely does, the government has a responsibility to step in.

It won’t happen soon. The state continues to wait on a budget agreement and won’t be taking up major new initiatives until the next session. But it should be high on their to-do list.”

What began just 13 years ago as a small community of people united by a common desire to celebrate Jerry Garcia’s music has transformed into a powerhouse.

In this photo, courtesy of the Vibes, fans huddle around the event's stage.

The Vibe Tribe, as the individuals are known, is a growing group of folks who take a single weekend out of their busy summers to simply enjoy life to the soundtrack of great music at the Gathering of the Vibes.

Event organizers have made it easier for the tribe to connect ahead of this weekend’s festival at Bridgeport’s Seaside Park with an increased focus in social networking.

“We’ve always had some online social networking,” Kevin O’Brien, marketing director of the Gathering of the Vibes, said. “But as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter has really blown up in the last couple of years we’ve realized we needed to be in that world.”

The Gathering of the Vibes recruited two recent University of Colorado graduates to help.

Jason Mitchell and Eric Dieter, co-founders of Movement Strategy, created a Twitter account and managed the Vibes’ other social networking sites.

“They came through for us,” O’Brien said.

Mitchell said he and Dieter attempted to get people talking.

“We wanted to build a community around the Vibes and what people are interested in,” he said of Movement Strategy’s efforts. “We wanted to give fans a place to have a conversation and I think we’re pretty successful with that — particularly on Facebook.”

In all, Movement Strategy has managed the Vibes’ Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and YouTube accounts.

“People are really sharing their stories and uploading their photos and videos,” Mitchell said. “One thing that was very successful for us was getting people to upload videos from previous shows.”

Just hours before the event kicked off, there were 6,172 fans on Facebook; 2,561 followers on Twitter and 7,760 friends on MySpace.

“We definitely focused a lot on Facebook because when you look at numbers around social networking, that’s where people are — and it allows you to share tour photos and videos,” Mitchell said. “I hope we can continue to build the community.”

In addition to the social network aspects, the Vibes also have a very active forum with 18,002 threads, 326,648 posts, 12,522 members and 2,736 active members.

The Vibes have also hosted weekly streaming video conferences with an average of 40 “dedicated fans” regularly attending, Mitchell said.

“The Gathering of the Vibes community has definitely gathered around social networking more than other communities have,” Mitchell said. “We understand better than other people that social media is about asking people to participate.”

Users input through the social networking sites have been noted and have directly affected decision-making, O’Brien said.

He pointed to one item in particular — the passing of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas.

“It was a huge concern,” O’Brien said. “So we have implemented strike forces and a 24-hour call line.”

He said if people are scared to come to the festival, they just won’t attend, so feedback is always considered seriously.

Mitchell said he will be at this weekend’s event shooting video and still photos and regularly uploading their materials throughout their social networks.

“We will encourage people there to upload their own stuff,” Mitchell added.

He said he hopes to have a contest of user generated materials following the weekend-long concert.

“The idea is to get people to become part of the Gathering of the Vibes community — not just the weekend or the week leading to it,” he said.

AT&T has denied Internet reports that the telephone company would be delaying multi-media messaging (images, audio, video, rich text,) and that a tethering plan would cost an additional $55 per month for iPhone users in an e-mail to Wired.com.

In the message, a spokesman said that while the company will charge for a tethering plan, it has yet to be determined how much it will cost or when it will become available.  AT&T also maintained that MMS will be available “later this summer.”

However, the article does note a problem with the statement:
“Early September is still considered late summer, so if MMS doesn’t arrive until then, AT&T will not have broken its promise.”

In my last Tech Talk post, I wrote about a murder victim who text messaged a friend in a frantic attempt to save her life as well as those of her two young daughters.

Connecticut State Police has implemented a "Text a Tip" program, but needs to do more.

Jacky Saulnier posted a question on Tech Talk that got me thinking:
“This begs the question: What about texting to 911? I assume it’s not possible, but can it be? Should it be? Especially in situations like this, where the person in danger needs to remain quiet.”

I called Sgt. Chris Johnson of the Connecticut State Police seeking an answer.

The state police does not have such a system in place, he said.  Nor do they have any such systems under development.

Anyone in an emergency situation should call 911 even if it is too dangerous to say anything, Johnson said.

“We’ll assume it’s an emergency,” he said. “If we don’t get an answer, we’ll call back and see if we can get someone on the line.”

He said if no one answers the call from the 911 dispatcher, police officers will be sent using tools available to pinpoint the caller’s location.

It is easier to trace a call, however, originating from a land line than from a cell phone, he said.

But, the state police does have text messaging capabilities available.

In a fatal accident that resulted in the loss of the lives of two teenagers in Orange teenagers last month, the state police asked anyone with any information to contact them via phone or text message.

In fact, the state police, as well as several local police agencies, welcome tips via text message for any case.

All you have to do is text “TIP711” plus a message to CRIMES (274637).

However, the agency strongly warns on its Web site that the service is “not to be used to report crimes or to be used for reporting emergencies. For emergencies, call 911.”

My take on this is simple: Police departments need to begin to study the implementation of a text-based emergency system.  As our society continues to place a greater emphasis on technology, and specifically on smart phones, law enforcement agencies must keep up to ensure our safety.

While it may not be as easy to pinpoint the exact location of a device as easily as a land line, it could be relayed to the public that they have to be specific with their emergency reporting because the reality is land lines are not always as accessible as cellular devices.

The murder victim I had described earlier was extremely specific in her reporting of where she was to her friend.  According to the Hartford Courant, she wrote of herself, her husband and her daughters: “I am back in bedroom. Erica in basement. Shannon front bedroom. He has large knife too, hurry. No joke he is going to kill me.”

Users reporting false reports should prosecuted as if they reported such an incident via the traditional land-based 911 system.  However, as an increasing percentage of the society abandons land lines in favor of cellular devices, public safety could be at risk if public safety personnel rely exclusively on technology dating back decades.

As such technology advances, emergency personnel could track users’ cell phones making the potential success of such technology better, and potentially saving lives.  The only risk is to wait to implement such technology.

In fact, Singapore and Northern Ireland police have similar technology already in use, and Michigan law enforcement officials are studying similar approaches.  Connecticut officials should be next.

RELATED TECH TALK ENTRY:

• Murder victim texts for help in frantic attempt to save self, life

Text messaging could be used for a lot of things — from sharing life’s special moments to just saying hi — but for one desperate 43-year-old Connecticut woman, it was used as a last-ditched attempt to find help for her and her two little girls before it was too late.

Photo courtesy of attorneygeneral.gov.

Alice Morrin frantically text-messaged a friend begging him to call 911, the Hartford Courant reported online Tuesday, and to save her from her violent husband armed with a shotgun and a large knife.

“Help, call Vernon police,” she wrote in a text message at about 11:50 p.m. Sunday, the Courant reported. “Jim just dragged me in our room put loaded gun to my head. Hurry please he would hear me on the phone. I talked him down.”

The newspaper reported the friend, who was not identified, immediately called the Vernon police.

Morrin had filed for divorce from her husband, James Morrin, in April, the newspaper reported.  The couple’s two daughters, 15-year-old Erica and 9-year-old Shannon, were also at home.

The friend received another text message after calling police, the Courant reported: “I am back in bedroom. Erica in basement. Shannon front bedroom. He has large knife too, hurry. No joke he is going to kill me.”

And then it got worse. At 11:55 p.m., she typed, “Hurry please, are they coming.” And then again, “Police are they coming. He showed its loaded. Held me down, hurry I need to get Shannon.”

Police told the Courant that Alice Morrin had called 911 at 11:54 p.m. reporting the dispute and the two children in the house. Then she screamed.

Her final text message arrived at 11:56 p.m., according to the newspaper.

“What should I do if he hears me,” she asked her friend. “I’m dead. God.”

And just as the first officer arrived on the scene, two shots were heard in quick succession, the Courant reported.  And then one more moments later.  And then it was silent.

In the end, Erica was found fleeing the home.  James Morrin was found dead in an upstairs bedroom with the shotgun near him, and after a little more searching, Alice Morrin was also found dead… shot twice.  After a more thorough search, police found Shannon in a third bedroom.  She was, at the very least, physically OK, like her sister.

The newspaper reported that police are currently classifying the incident a murder-suicide.

RELATED TECH TALK ENTRY:

• Conn. needs to to implement emergency text service