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Android phones offer apps similar to iPhone's Siri
Q: I've really been impressed by reviews for Siri, the talking "intelligent assistant" in Apple's iPhone 4S. Is there an app for Android smart phones that offers a similar experience?
A: There are several, including Edwin, Speaktoit and Vlingo. None of them seems to match all the capabilities of Siri, probably because Siri is fully integrated into the iPhone's system. But the Android apps come close. Like Siri, they let you use natural language to ask questions and issue voice commands, and Edwin and Speaktoit respond in a female voice similar to Siri's. Vlingo doesn't talk.
Actually, maybe it would be better if Speaktoit didn't talk, either. I tried out the apps while waiting to be served at a restaurant that shows old movies on a wall. The film that night was "Kiss Them for Me," a 1957 yarn about wartime shenanigans in San Francisco starring Cary Grant and featuring blond bombshell Jayne Mansfield. I used Speaktoit to fetch photos of Mansfield from Google images. Speaktoit was very accommodating, but a few seconds later, she said, "Get your mind out of the gutter."
Edwin uses the same Internet knowledge engine as Siri, and all three Android apps make it easy to dial phone calls, send text messages and get information such as the weather and location of the nearest cafe. The apps are free, so give them a try. Just don't get smart with Speaktoit.
Q: My father used to enjoy taking photos with a 35mm film camera. But because his eyesight is not what it once was, he no longer does much photography. Do you have any recommendations for a digital camera that he might enjoy using? Because he liked the ability to select his own camera settings, he is not particularly interested in a point-and-shoot camera.
A: What you need is a camera with manual controls, a sensor big enough to produce great images, and - most important - a big, bright rear screen that he can use to compose images instead of having to peer through a viewfinder. If image quality is paramount, I'd go for a camera with an APS-C sensor - the same size used in consumer-oriented DSLRs. With most DSLRs, you can't use the rear screen to frame shots because the mirror that sends the image to the viewfinder blocks the sensor. But Sony has a couple of new DSLR models that get around that by employing a translucent mirror.
Another option is a mirrorless camera like the Sony NEX series and "micro four-thirds" models from Olympus and Panasonic. The Sonys have bigger (APS-C) sensors, but all of these cameras feature pro-level controls and, like DSLRs, can accept different lenses. And when your dad takes great pictures, most of these cameras let you display them on an HDTV so everyone can enjoy them - including him.
Q: I'll be traveling to the East Coast this winter, and I want to be able to use Wi-Fi on my iPhone (to conserve data minutes on my wireless plan). What's the best strategy for finding free public hotspots?
A: Two free apps can help you out: JiWire's Wi-Fi Finder and the Boingo Wi-Finder. Both are available for iPhones and Android phones. The JiWire app can scan for wireless networks within range of your phone and display a list of nearby hotspots, including free ones. Boingo's app shows you free hotspots and those run by Boingo, a big international Wi-Fi service provider. You can also sign up for unlimited access at any Boingo hotspot for $7.95 a month.
Just be aware that many Boingo hotspots happen to be free: The company operates hotspots for Starbucks and McDonald's, both of which offer free Wi-Fi at most of their U.S. locations. And because you can't throw a stone without hitting a Starbucks or McDonald's, consider them when you need to go online for a few minutes. I wouldn't sit there for hours, however, and you really ought to buy a cup of coffee or some fries so you don't look like a geeky deadbeat.
Q: When I turn on my computer, I get a popup stating that "an error has occurred in the script on this page" and asking if I want to continue running the script. Clicking Yes or No makes the warning go away, but it returns in a few minutes. Please help.
A: Go to the Tools menu in Internet Explorer and choose Internet Options. Click the Advanced tab, and in the Browsing section, uncheck the box labeled "Display a notification about every script error." Hopefully that will do the trick.
Got a question about computing? E-mail David Einstein at einstein.dave@gmail.com.
This article appeared on page D - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/10/23/BUHG1LKNHN.DTL#ixzz1bgYMXKLG
A: There are several, including Edwin, Speaktoit and Vlingo. None of them seems to match all the capabilities of Siri, probably because Siri is fully integrated into the iPhone's system. But the Android apps come close. Like Siri, they let you use natural language to ask questions and issue voice commands, and Edwin and Speaktoit respond in a female voice similar to Siri's. Vlingo doesn't talk.
Actually, maybe it would be better if Speaktoit didn't talk, either. I tried out the apps while waiting to be served at a restaurant that shows old movies on a wall. The film that night was "Kiss Them for Me," a 1957 yarn about wartime shenanigans in San Francisco starring Cary Grant and featuring blond bombshell Jayne Mansfield. I used Speaktoit to fetch photos of Mansfield from Google images. Speaktoit was very accommodating, but a few seconds later, she said, "Get your mind out of the gutter."
Edwin uses the same Internet knowledge engine as Siri, and all three Android apps make it easy to dial phone calls, send text messages and get information such as the weather and location of the nearest cafe. The apps are free, so give them a try. Just don't get smart with Speaktoit.
Q: My father used to enjoy taking photos with a 35mm film camera. But because his eyesight is not what it once was, he no longer does much photography. Do you have any recommendations for a digital camera that he might enjoy using? Because he liked the ability to select his own camera settings, he is not particularly interested in a point-and-shoot camera.
A: What you need is a camera with manual controls, a sensor big enough to produce great images, and - most important - a big, bright rear screen that he can use to compose images instead of having to peer through a viewfinder. If image quality is paramount, I'd go for a camera with an APS-C sensor - the same size used in consumer-oriented DSLRs. With most DSLRs, you can't use the rear screen to frame shots because the mirror that sends the image to the viewfinder blocks the sensor. But Sony has a couple of new DSLR models that get around that by employing a translucent mirror.
Another option is a mirrorless camera like the Sony NEX series and "micro four-thirds" models from Olympus and Panasonic. The Sonys have bigger (APS-C) sensors, but all of these cameras feature pro-level controls and, like DSLRs, can accept different lenses. And when your dad takes great pictures, most of these cameras let you display them on an HDTV so everyone can enjoy them - including him.
Q: I'll be traveling to the East Coast this winter, and I want to be able to use Wi-Fi on my iPhone (to conserve data minutes on my wireless plan). What's the best strategy for finding free public hotspots?
A: Two free apps can help you out: JiWire's Wi-Fi Finder and the Boingo Wi-Finder. Both are available for iPhones and Android phones. The JiWire app can scan for wireless networks within range of your phone and display a list of nearby hotspots, including free ones. Boingo's app shows you free hotspots and those run by Boingo, a big international Wi-Fi service provider. You can also sign up for unlimited access at any Boingo hotspot for $7.95 a month.
Just be aware that many Boingo hotspots happen to be free: The company operates hotspots for Starbucks and McDonald's, both of which offer free Wi-Fi at most of their U.S. locations. And because you can't throw a stone without hitting a Starbucks or McDonald's, consider them when you need to go online for a few minutes. I wouldn't sit there for hours, however, and you really ought to buy a cup of coffee or some fries so you don't look like a geeky deadbeat.
Q: When I turn on my computer, I get a popup stating that "an error has occurred in the script on this page" and asking if I want to continue running the script. Clicking Yes or No makes the warning go away, but it returns in a few minutes. Please help.
A: Go to the Tools menu in Internet Explorer and choose Internet Options. Click the Advanced tab, and in the Browsing section, uncheck the box labeled "Display a notification about every script error." Hopefully that will do the trick.
Got a question about computing? E-mail David Einstein at einstein.dave@gmail.com.
This article appeared on page D - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/10/23/BUHG1LKNHN.DTL#ixzz1bgYMXKLG
Motor world mourns Simoncelli shock death
MotoGP has lost its next superstar with the crash death of Italy's Marco Simoncelli, says former world champion Wayne Gardner.
The mop-haired Simoncelli, 24, was killed when he lost control of his Honda on lap two of the Malaysian MotoGP and came off in the path of Colin Edwards and compatriot and close friend Valentino Rossi who could not avoid him.
Simoncelli, who enjoyed his finest hour at the same Sepang track when he clinched the 2008 season's 250cc title, had his helmet knocked off in the collision, which left him face down and motionless on the asphalt.
He suffered "very serious trauma to the head, neck and the chest" and later went into cardiac arrest, according to MotoGP medical director Michele Macchiagodena.
Seven-time world champion Rossi, who was uninjured in the crash while Edwards suffered a dislocated shoulder, was devastated and unable to say anything in the immediate aftermath of the accident.
He later tweeted about Simoncelli, nicknamed Sic or SuperSic.
"Sic for me was like a younger brother, as strong on the track as he was sweet in life," Rossi wrote.
"I still can't believe it. I will miss him a lot."
Gardner, the 1987 world champion and still heavily involved in the sport, said he met Simoncelli last weekend at the Australian GP at Phillip Island, where the Italian finished a career-best second.
"He was a shining light that was coming through," Gardner told Fox Sports.
"He looked like the next superstar.
"It's a great loss for the motorcycle riding fraternity and a black mark on motor racing."
Gardner said as well as a future champion, he was "a really nice guy ... he was having a great time".
The death left the motor sport world reeling, coming on the same day as IndyCar star Dan Wheldon's funeral service after his death in a 15-car crash in Las Vegas last week.
Australia's newly-crowned world champion Casey Stoner said he feared the worst after seeing the crash of Simoncelli, who was tipped to replace seven-time world champion Rossi as the sport's poster boy.
"I feel sick right through, I can only say my thoughts are for his family," said Stoner.
"When things like this happen it reminds you how precious life is."
Australian Formula One driver Mark Webber also offered his condolences, posting a message on Twitter: "RIP Marco. A special talent that will be missed. Thinking of your loved ones and all the MotoGP paddock."
Spanish rider Dani Pedrosa said the accident would remind everyone of the dangers of the sport.
"These are things that shouldn't happen," Pedrosa said.
"But this is the sport and sometimes we forget how dangerous our sport is."
Simoncelli's death was the first fatality in MotoGP since Japan's Daijiro Katoh died from injuries sustained at the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix.
It also raised the number of recorded deaths in MotoGP to 47 since it was founded in 1949, according to a MotoGP official.
Simoncelli's death looked certain to throw up more questions over safety.
Sepang is a notoriously tricky circuit due to Malaysia's heat, humidity and frequent rain, but conditions on Sunday, although hot, were fine.
"It is a sad back-to-back weekend for motorsports," Sepang Circuit chairman Mokhzani Mahathir said.
"We try our best to avoid incidents and prepare for the worst. You see, 99 per cent of the time, riders falling and walking away. Only one per cent do not."
Race director Paul Butler promised a thorough investigation.
There is a final race in Spain, however Stoner secured the 2011 championship with his win at the Australian Grand Prix.
The mop-haired Simoncelli, 24, was killed when he lost control of his Honda on lap two of the Malaysian MotoGP and came off in the path of Colin Edwards and compatriot and close friend Valentino Rossi who could not avoid him.
Simoncelli, who enjoyed his finest hour at the same Sepang track when he clinched the 2008 season's 250cc title, had his helmet knocked off in the collision, which left him face down and motionless on the asphalt.
He suffered "very serious trauma to the head, neck and the chest" and later went into cardiac arrest, according to MotoGP medical director Michele Macchiagodena.
Seven-time world champion Rossi, who was uninjured in the crash while Edwards suffered a dislocated shoulder, was devastated and unable to say anything in the immediate aftermath of the accident.
He later tweeted about Simoncelli, nicknamed Sic or SuperSic.
"Sic for me was like a younger brother, as strong on the track as he was sweet in life," Rossi wrote.
"I still can't believe it. I will miss him a lot."
Gardner, the 1987 world champion and still heavily involved in the sport, said he met Simoncelli last weekend at the Australian GP at Phillip Island, where the Italian finished a career-best second.
"He was a shining light that was coming through," Gardner told Fox Sports.
"He looked like the next superstar.
"It's a great loss for the motorcycle riding fraternity and a black mark on motor racing."
Gardner said as well as a future champion, he was "a really nice guy ... he was having a great time".
The death left the motor sport world reeling, coming on the same day as IndyCar star Dan Wheldon's funeral service after his death in a 15-car crash in Las Vegas last week.
Australia's newly-crowned world champion Casey Stoner said he feared the worst after seeing the crash of Simoncelli, who was tipped to replace seven-time world champion Rossi as the sport's poster boy.
"I feel sick right through, I can only say my thoughts are for his family," said Stoner.
"When things like this happen it reminds you how precious life is."
Australian Formula One driver Mark Webber also offered his condolences, posting a message on Twitter: "RIP Marco. A special talent that will be missed. Thinking of your loved ones and all the MotoGP paddock."
Spanish rider Dani Pedrosa said the accident would remind everyone of the dangers of the sport.
"These are things that shouldn't happen," Pedrosa said.
"But this is the sport and sometimes we forget how dangerous our sport is."
Simoncelli's death was the first fatality in MotoGP since Japan's Daijiro Katoh died from injuries sustained at the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix.
It also raised the number of recorded deaths in MotoGP to 47 since it was founded in 1949, according to a MotoGP official.
Simoncelli's death looked certain to throw up more questions over safety.
Sepang is a notoriously tricky circuit due to Malaysia's heat, humidity and frequent rain, but conditions on Sunday, although hot, were fine.
"It is a sad back-to-back weekend for motorsports," Sepang Circuit chairman Mokhzani Mahathir said.
"We try our best to avoid incidents and prepare for the worst. You see, 99 per cent of the time, riders falling and walking away. Only one per cent do not."
Race director Paul Butler promised a thorough investigation.
There is a final race in Spain, however Stoner secured the 2011 championship with his win at the Australian Grand Prix.
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