It seems that not being able to sort emails by size within GMail is a bit of a problem, but I read on several websites today the trick of using the "has:attachment" search string to find all messages with attachments.

What I then proceeded to do was:
(1) "Starred" any messages I wanted to keep
(2) Used the option to select all "unstarred" messages
(3) Hit delete

This took my gmail account from 299MB to 200MB in about 10 minutes!

The other option widely posted on websites is to use an external mail reader.
Another good idea, but using the web interface and the steps above wasn't too painful a process to quickly cull out messages that I really didn't need anymore.


Nigel H.

When I visited the US last month I picked up a Philips Streamium SL300i Media Server for only US$82 (including shipping to a colleague @ our Colorado office).

This box is basically a 802.11g box (about the same size as a ADSL modem/router) that plugs into the RCA sockets on your TV.

It allows you to access:

- Photos
- Videos
- Music (eg MP3s)

stored on any computer on your local network.

Although Philips have their own server software that you can install on each PC, I've personally chosen to use TVersity (www.tversity.com). TVersity offers an excellent directory of internet based content (eg CNN, Bloomberg) and offers on-the-fly conversion of formats that the SL300i might not support natively.

For example, I particularly like a lot of the "old" (ie 80s) music videos that are currently available on YouTube. I've used keepvid.com to get the flv files and with the aid of some conversion software, TVersity converts these to mpeg that can be viewed on our TV via the SL300i.

I've had a few problems with the SL300i (eg I can't update the firmware), and unfortunately it is a discontinued product now so assistance from Philips hasn't been easy to come by.
That being said there are some excellent forums (eg www.streamiumcafe.com, forums.tversity.com ) that offer a lot of assistance.

Overall, I love the concept of viewing videos and photos and listening to music on my Philips 29" TV, all without having to worry about copying the files to CD or DVD. I'm guessing that Philips had a few teething problems with the early versions of the products that left them at the point where they decided it was too much hassle to continue with the product.

I honestly believe they've got a great product that would be welcome in any home with a WiFi network and a collection of photos, videos and music that are normally viewed only once or twice a year.

So, the next problem is disk space 8-).
Luckily I've got another trip to Las Vegas early next month - the Western Digital My Book Essential Edition for US$99 from Amazon looks to be the next gadget that will turn up on my colleagues desk!

In todays paper (Christchurch Press) I saw a full page advert pushing the new Vodem and mobile broadband "from $29.95*".

I looked at the bottom for the T&C and all it mentioned was that you must sign up for a 24 month contract.

What they forgot to mention was that you need to purchase a Vodem for $199.

I know that a lot of people reading the advert (a few friends and family for example) believed that it would be included (in the same way that Sky through in their decoder if you sign up for a term contract).

Might be a good idea if Vodafone made this a little more clear.

We decided it would be good to have a 6x4 printer with memory card slots so that we can easily print pics - mainly for scrapbooking for my wife, but also to give to friends when they say "Ohh - I'd like a copy of that!".

I didn't want to spend a lot - especially since we already have a Pixma IP2000 and a Brother laser plus access to an expensive colour printer @ my wifes work - so I went onto Dick Smiths website and started hunting round.

I reckon we hit the jackpot with the Canon Selphy DS700 - only $99, and includes features such as:

* Full range of card slots
* Prints borderless 6x4 prints
* Plugs into the TV for slideshows + selecting photos
* Can be used in "normal mode" - ie with a PC.
* Supports direct printing from cameras (via USB cable)
* Supports irda printing from mobile phones.

This all seemed to good to be true - so I started looking at consumables (which is normally the catch with cheaper printers).

RRP$89 for 150 sheets of paper + 2 cartridges (75 prints per cartridge) - hmm, 59cents per print.
Not bad I thought.

Checked ebay next - NZ$43 for the same print pack above - even better!

So we popped into Dick Smith yesterday and grabbed one of these units and put it through it's paces last night.

My conclusion: an excellent 6x4 printer, easy to use and full of functionality not normally found at this price.

Admittedly the printers are on clearance at Dick Smith at the moment (they are normally $199 - originally $449), but if you're quick you can probably grab one yourself.

Nigel H.

Related links:
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=118&modelid=10593

http://www.canon.co.nz/print/home_office/products/home_office/story_1324.aspx

http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/4509df2a08766fc82742c0a87f9906e2/Product/View/XP0190

So the press release is out:
 
"Broadband in your back pocket will become a reality for New Zealanders on 1 October with the launch of Vodafone 3G broadband."

First glance indicates that the plans look good:
$29.95 for 200MB*
$49.95 for 1GB*

* Requires 24 month contract - $10 more if you want "No term"

The "Bundle Insurance" is a new one for me - if you exceed your data usage (eg 1GB), you can pay an extra $10 and they'll let you have another 1GB. Once you exceed that limit, you will be charged $0.50 per excess MB.

Hardware prices vary considerably, depending on which plan you're on and whether you're on a contract.

For the Vodem:
$199 (200MB plan, 24 month contract)
$429 (200MB plan, no term)
$99 (1GB plan, 24 month contract)
$429 (1GB plan, no term)

For the VMC Data Card:
$299 (200MB plan, 24 month contract)
$529 (200MB plan, no term)
$199 (1GB plan, 24 month contract)
$529 (1GB plan, no term)

I guess the thing that I had hoped for was a "package deal" - ie voice+data, in the same way that Telstra does with their cable solution. Maybe that will come later 8-).

According to all of the reports here (which other minor sites have referenced ), Vodafone New Zealand will be launching their new HSDPA network tomorrow (Sep 12).

I'm looking forward to seeing if they introduce new packages that tackle the old problem of having to keep your landline (from Telecom) to get ADSL. Although I'll be waiting til next April when (hopefully) number portability will come into effect, I'm sure there will be a lot of people tempted to make the move if they can offer a competitive package.

I'll also be interested to look at the Vodem (see More Vodafone HSDPA: get discounts on a HSDPA USB modem).

Although I suspect the performance might not be as good as those devices that have an external antenna, I believe the "all-in-one" solution will be a viable alternative that will particularly meet the needs of the home user.

The launch is quite timely as I'm off to a conference in the US on Friday to talk about the direction of wireless technologies - hopefully HSDPA is the right direction .


Nigel H (aka 3g).

PS I will post a review of some HSDPA hardware once the network goes live...

After seeing an article on Geekzone about Google spreadsheets (http://spreadsheets.google.com) I decided to sign up and see what it was about.

After uploading an existing spreadsheet, I must admit that I am impressed with how well it works.
Although I couldn't immediately imagine what I'd use it for myself, a work colleague pointed out that he might use it so he can always have access to his spreadsheet which lists his music collection. It turns out he often has trouble remembering which CD's he already has when looking at Trademe .

It doesn't appear to support charting (yet?), but certainly handles standard spreadsheets with ease.
I guess (or is that hope?) that it's a sign of things to come from Google, which can only be a good thing for those of us that are astounded at the ever increasing cost of standard office software packages.

I should really be looking at why the Motorola V710's don't work with Windows Mobile 5 (but that's another story).

So - a quick tip for those who are having trouble with Dial-Up Networking connections on Pocket PC (or Windows CE) devices.

Did you know that by adding the registry key entry (at the end of this post), you can get the Windows CE / Pocket PC operating system to generate a modem log every time that you "attempt" to create a connection??

I've personally found this extremely useful to check that "Extra modem commands" are being sent down correctly or to find out why the PPP negotiation is failing when attempting a GPRS connection.


Note:

• Each "modem" connection generates a different (numbered) log.
• The logs are named "mdmlogX.txt", where X is a digit 1-9.
• The logs are saved to the top level of the file system.