TweetDeck arrives on iPhone
Posted by derekwalter in News on June 17th, 2009
One of my favorite Twitter apps just launched an iPhone version. TweetDeck, though still in Beta, brings some order to the disorganized chaos of trying to follow people on Twitter. Its unique column view allows you to filter tweets by categories you establish. There is also Facebook integration (not yet on the iPhone version) so you can post to and read messages. I’m looking forward to toying around with this app. I’ll post an update when a review goes live on AppCraver.
I’m back…online
Posted by derekwalter in Media, News, Politics, iPhone on June 9th, 2009
Dear reader(s),
I have returned from blogging purgatory. The past month I was swamped with teaching two University classes – one online and one on-site. Needless to say that, combined with the day job, left me time for little else. One class has wrapped up and the other is in its last week, so I am looking forward to getting back into the writing game; especially my posting to this blog and AppCraver. Especially since there is quite a bit going on with Apple’s new iPhone, Windows 7 (which I’m sporting on my new desktop), President Obama’s Mideast travels, you get the picture. I am looking forward to the conversation.
The Harlem Miracle
Posted by derekwalter in Education, Politics on May 10th, 2009
Been a bit busy with the day job and teaching two university classes this week. But I wanted to pass along an excellent column by David Brooks that profiles a Harlem charter school that actually succeeded in closing the achievement gap. Read the rest of this entry »
The new Republican religion
Posted by derekwalter in Current events, Election 2010, News, Politics on April 29th, 2009
Is being a Republican, or more specifically a conservative, really a way of life? Some seem to think so.
A group at Fresno Pacific University called the Sunbird Conservatives sent out a notice yesterday publicizing an inaugural (of course they used the grammatically incorrect term “first annual”) Conservatives Conference. The e-mail proclaimed, “Conservatism is not a policy but rather a way of life. It is a life based on principles and values that transcend time and political parties.” Read the rest of this entry »
iPhone, Verizon, to finally join forces?
Posted by derekwalter in Technology, iPhone on April 28th, 2009
For some it would be the ultimate marriage: Verizon and the iPhone. The gossip raged today about the supposed talks between Apple and Verizon. It is an intriguing scenario – the best mobile device with what is arguably the best wireless network.
It is an intriguing scenario. While I love my iPhone, AT&T’s network is mediocre at best; downright unacceptable at worst. I was along the Embarcadero in San Francisco recently trying to have a conversation and spent 15 minutes wandering the streets to get a signal. At one point I simply shut the 3G radio off because my iPhone kept bouncing between 3G and EDGE, which furthered my connection woes. Read the rest of this entry »
Clueless at the top – GOP needs wake-up call
Posted by derekwalter in Current events, News, Politics on April 24th, 2009
After getting the latest GOP e-mail, I decided it was time to unsubscribe. It was loaded with recycled one-liners and leftover rhetoric from the presidential campaign. Here are some quoted examples:
- As a lawyer, Obama once sued the same financial institutions on behalf of radical groups like ACORN for failing to use leftist social engineering criteria for lending instead of an applicant’s ability to repay a loan.
- And now, anyone who dares speak out against or challenge Obama’s ultra-liberal agenda, such as the hundreds of thousands of patriots who attended last week’s Tea Parties, should expect to be labeled “unhealthy” by this Adminstration. Now, THAT is arrogance!
- You know that Barack Obama’s hubris and charisma conceal the inexperience and lack of wisdom that our country cannot afford in its president.
When you have a popular president and an economic crisis this same old junk just doesn’t work. Read the rest of this entry »
Test Post
Posted by derekwalter in News on April 21st, 2009
I’ve done a bit of tinkering with the site lately, and I need to test out the posting as well. Apologies for a needless post in your feeds.
New Mobile Site
Posted by derekwalter in Media, News, Technology, iPhone on April 12th, 2009
If you visit my web site and blog from your mobile device it will now be reformatted. It especially works well on the iPhone. The site has full access to my current articles (forthcoming) and blog posts. Check out the screenshots:
Welcome to the new derekwalter.com!
Posted by derekwalter in News on April 10th, 2009
Thank you for visiting the new derekwalter.com. This site will soon detail my current platform of writing and graduate school teaching. My blog will also be embedded at this site making it easier for you to have full access to my writing. Stay tuned!
Chrome vs. Firefox
Posted by derekwalter in Technology on March 31st, 2009
Some worry about fixing the auto industry or if North Korea has nuclear weapons. Right now I have a far more compelling dilemma on my hands – Google Chrome vs. Mozilla Firefox.
Clearly I am in good company, as others have debated the merits of both browsers. (And yes I have tried the latest versions of Internet Explorer and Safari. IE is still too poky and Safari is another Apple product; very innovative but always missing essential features). I find myself splitting my time right now between Chrome and Firefox. There is a lot of merit and room to improve with both.
What do I love about Chrome? It’s blazing fast and has a minimalistic interface. It’s also very smart about handling the day-to-day functions of a quality web surfing session. Click a link to open a new tab, and it opens right next to your current tab. Pull a tab out of the browser and create an application shortcut. Also the address bar searches Google, your web history and bookmarks all at once.
But where Chrome is innovative, Firefox is full-featured. Because I work between two different computers, using Xmarks (formerly Foxmarks) to sync my bookmarks is essential. Adblocks is great for nuking annoying online ads. Plus if I get tired of the default appearance I can always install another one. The flexibility is what keeps me connected to Mozilla’s browser for now.
So who is the “winner?” Right now, both. When I need to get work done, Firefox is my choice. If I am just reading and doing general web browsing, it’s Chrome. Writing for AppCraver and my other clients keeps me on the web constantly, so this is an obsession I plan to take seriously. For true tech geeks such as myself this will be fun to watch play out.
