I know it has been a while since I have written a long post here on the MDLU, so here it goes. The beverage on my desk is a Mirror Pond Pale Ale from Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon.
Tonight's topic (or morning) is Tech and Suave:
1. Google Dashboard
For those of you who rely on Google for basically everything, the Dashboard will show you almost everything that Google has for your account. If you have a Google voice number, it'll show you the number of calls you've made, if you use Google Docs it show you the most recent document and what you are sharing, if you use Google Latitude (a location aware service) it'll show the most recent location. If you're a privacy nut the amount of information that is in Google's system will make you reach for your tin-foil hat. With all of the information that is out in the "cloud" you tend to forget how much is actually out there. While the Dashboard is a start, it still does not allow you to turn off any tracking that Google may do or how it uses all of the information that is collected through the daily use of their products.
2. Droid
"These are not the Droids you are looking for..." If you're a Verizon subscriber, welcome to the dawn of the App Phone (hat tip to David Pogue for that description). I'll give it some credit for having a real keyboard, a higher resolution camera, and a high resolution screen, but it does lack multitouch. If the rumors hold true, Verizon may also have an iPhone by 2010. In the mean time, I'm sticking with my iPhone (it's not perfect, mainly AT&T's fault).
3. Catch Me If You Can
It seems that there is a modern Frank Abagnale, Jr. out in Los Angeles. The LA Times is reporting that a suave con man has been working his way through Staples Center, the Greek Theater, and offices and hotels in Downtown LA. Using the term "Office Creeper," the man has apparently slipped in and out of offices with laptops, including one stolen from an LAPD Detective. The con man has been using the web and social networks to track the movement of celebrities and sports teams and then his charm to gain access to their rooms.