Cool Tools Collection

I have to give credit to David Drinnon , he mentioned webware.com during a recent telephone call.  If you don’t know much about webware.com you should have on your list of sites to check out.  Their top 100 is a listing of ‘web 2.0′ sites and services.

A couple on the list that caught my eye…

 is a off-site storage/backup solution that provides a front end to Amazon S3.  They charge a $20 one time fee for their software and just $.15/gb for storage.

 is designed to make text messaging easier to use, more convenient and more accessible. Joopz allows users to send text messages from the Web to both individuals and groups, while enabling recipients to respond directly to the originating PC or Mac. Joopz web texts can be sent from any web-enabled device worldwide to any U.S. or Canadian mobile phone.

 converts voice into text for e-mails, text messages, and comments on blogs and Web sites. The new to me feature is the ability to send ‘jotts’ not to just my inbox as reminders but to specific people… staff, spouse, family etc…

 a IM client that lets you connect to 16 different messaging services… I have been using Pidgin (known to some as Piggin) and it works well for the #CITRT channel.

 have you ever wondered which planes on which carriers have power outlets, which seats are noisier than others, etc?  This site is a great resource to check the specs of the flight you are planning to book before you shell out the cash.  Its quite amazing that someone has taken the time to compile all this data.

Thin Client Demos continue

We are still working thru evaluating the ChipPC, but we have also added Wyse V10L to our demos.

After talking with the technical engineers at Wyse we are armed with a little more knowledge.  Where as the ChipPC runs on Windows CE the V10L runs on the Wyse proprietary OS.  We are working thru the configuration but as I understand it you put a configuration file on a internal FTP server and via DHCP you point the devices on boot to the FTP server where it pulls your configuration.  We are told then the RDP session can start and all is well.  We will be evaluating this process, but if it works as expected this appears to be a more cost effective and simple approach to the ChipPC… granted not nearly as much of a cool factor but a better configuration.

Here is how Wyse describes the little box:

“The Wyse Thin OS powered Wyse V10L thin client is the most optimized solution for Citrix ICA (Presentation Server, Desktop Server, and Access Essentials), Microsoft RDP (Terminal Services), and VMware VDI environments. This ultra-thin operating system boots in seconds, automatically updates itself, and delivers the administrative simplicity that IT needs. And, with an unpublished API, Wyse Thin OS is one of the most secure operating systems on the market. The Wyse V10L thin client provides additional expansion opportunities with parallel and PS/2 ports. A DVI-I connector allow for the connection of digital or analog monitors, or both via an optional splitter cable. The Wyse V10L ships with a keyboard and mouse so all you have to provide is the monitor, external power and a network connection.”

Less than 4 weeks until our deadline for our registration computers to be online.. more info to come as we learn more about the ‘right’ thin client for our application.