Australia Day threw this week's weigh-in out by a day. Not to mention going camping meant huge temptation with Ice Creams, Donuts, Bacon & Eggs, and of course, beer, cider, and rum.

Still last week was also a huge week for exercise. 3 sessions of boxercise, and besides Thursday, I'm still managing to stick to my personal "no lifts" commitment.

All this to say, that I lost 1.1 kg in the last week, weighing in at 107.5 kg's this morning. That's 1.01% overall, and 5th on the leader board. Still we're only 1 week in so far.

The team has lost 11.9 kg's between them, or 1.43% overall. So down from 832.3 to 820.4 kg's At this rate we could be below 800kg's within the next 2 weeks.

R42

Late breaking news:

I’ve managed to secure some places for UG Leads and MVPs at the Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCT) Summit Welcome Reception to be held on Tuesday 29^th January. The Summit presents an opportunity for you to meet and connect with our MCTs as well as other key influencers in the community.

If you're interested. email me by Midday on Tuesday 29^th January and I'll send through details.

So if you’re Sydney based, or in for the evening, please let us know, and come along. Should be a blast.

Also, if you haven’t already registered for the Heroes {Community} Launch Leader Program, you will also have the opportunity to do so on the night. In fact, for registered members, we may even have your Influencer kit with HDD ready (no guarantees, but we’re pushing for this to be so)

Looking forward to catching up with as many of you as I can

R42

Some of you may know that like many people in our industry, over the last couple of years (well, ok, decade) I've struggled with controlling an increasing mass. That's body mass.

So, in the spirit of the new year, and taking total accountability for the consequences of my (gluttonous) actions, not to mention an encouraging prod from my family doctor; I've started a weight loss regime. However, it's not just a diet, nor an individual program. Oh no. This is an approach with costs and incentives, with competition and support.

I started an MS "Biggest Loser" competition. Entry fee $250. Grand prize $1000. Runner up gets $500. No other prescribed rules. Dieting, exercise, fasting, dysentry, even amputation, all acceptable approaches (if somewhat extreme) to win the grand prize.

This morning 7 of us weighed in. Total group weight 832.3kg. My personal weight: 108.6kg

Watch this space....

R42

My 2nd to last post was about my great new laptop, the Toshiba Portege R500. You'll remember I commented on all of the features it has which the new Macbook Air is missing. That despite the marginal difference in thickness, and less weight.

Yet, of course, the "Air" will be making headlines in sales this week, and that got me to thinking about why. Of course there are some inalienable conclusions in the different ways the two computers were described to the public. And these differences are reflected even in the way owners talk about their machines.

With the Mac, announcements are kept as closely guarded secrets until the annual meeting of the acolytes in San Francisco. Then it gets the treatment of the presentation guru himself, Steve, in a keynote speech no less. Besides all of that, the computer gets a great name. The Macbook "Air."

The Toshiba, the "world's thinnest notebook with an optical drive," with the "thinnest display," with the "thinnest optical drive," and the "lightest notebook" was launched in June 2007. Did you know that? I didn't. I actually had to search for the press release. No keynote speech here.

Talk to a Mac owner, and they talk in loving terms about their Macbook Pro, or their iMac or, this week, their Macbook Air. Talk to your average PC notebook owner, and they mention their latest "Tosh" or "the X61" (what does that even mean?)

The Toshiba (HP, Sony, Lenovo etc etc) all have inscrutable model numbers. Oh, there are model names, but apart from the Asus Lamborghini, or the Acer Ferrari, even those are diluted with different model numbers. I mean, why couldn't my new computer be called the "Switchblade" or "Rapier" or "Stealth." Rather than the "R500."

It's (still) a great machine. Now that everything I need is installed, and the new updates have settled down, the performance is more than commendable. In the next day or so I pick up the Port Replicator and 6 cell battery. Over the next couple of weeks I have a couple of presentations to deliver, not to mention a trip to the US. So look for the stress-test coming soon to a blog near you.

But, it seriously is cool enough to be called the "Rapier."

R42

So on Tuesday night we had a true Geekfest. No agenda, no presentations, no plan, simply a bunch of enthusiasts with their favourite toys. In this case mobile gadgets. The theme was "Nostalgia Swap Meet."

As ever in these types of meetings, I'm blown away by just how outdated, clunky, and big those devices of yesteryear seem now. Yet of course when they were released we drooled, and envied, and lusted, and had to have them. The latest empowering devices. Entire economic methodologies have been created and implemented to justify these devices to our significant others (aka CFO).

I managed to bring along a Psion 7 Series - hardly a well known device (the 5 Series was the most popular). Clam shell, almost full size keyboard, with full PCMCIA slot. Amazingly this device has a colour VGA screen, with elementary word processing, spreadsheet, email, contact and world clock applications. Smaller than a laptop, but larger than a handheld. Nevertheless, if this was a current device with current technology, the form factor would be a hot favourite IMHO. But I digress...

Other favourites on the tables included the original Compaq iPaq 3630, with sleeve. A couple of the first Cassiopeia's, Sagem's and devices all the way up to the newest HTC and iMates.

Andrew Curtis popped in about halfway through the evening and brought his own box of goodies, including an Amiga (remember those old "Computers in a Keyboard" that you had to connect to your TV?) Also, a Sinclair ZX81 and a Sinclair ZX Spectrum.

Kean even had the original pre-cursor to the Nintendo DS - a Nintendo Donkey-Kong!!!

Everyone had a great time remembering the days of groundbreaking, life-changing (for most of us in the room anyway), sci-fi'esque technology. I still am often amazed at the 'magic' of technology, and on nights like this, when we see quite how far we've come, it reminds me why I'm in this industry after all.

(Sheesh I sound old!!)

R42

On Monday I took delivery of my new work laptop. A Toshiba Portege R500. Despite being ridiculed by my boss for getting a 'wimps' machine, I chose this computer because of certain irresistible promises:

• Low weight - good for all the flying and travel I'll be doing in my new role. Actually pretty good for carrying between meetings at the office too.
• Long Battery Life - again, great for being away from the power supply all day, not to mention sitting on aeroplanes.
• Aesthetics - it is undeniably the coolest looking laptop of the current contenders.

The rest of it's features, frankly, just meet, or pale in comparison to my most recent laptop (the HP Nx8430). All that is, except for one, but more on that later.

Over the last couple of days, whilst I've been installing software and transferring data, I've come to really appreciate this machine. But then so has everyone else who's seen it as well. Like a pregnant woman's tummy, everyone seems to think they have the right to touch it.

It's a computer that's something like the new Lotus Exige. A sports car, with super car pretensions. Like the Exige, everything that's not considered essential is stripped out or pared down.

For example, the speakers, or should I say, speaker, is small and hardly hi-fidelity. There is no built-in webcam, an omission not seen on any self-respecting laptop today. The chromed mouse buttons look great, right until you click them, and leave unsightly smudgy fingerprints. Video out is an outdated 20th century VGA connector. No, the keyboard is not backlit; and unlike the new Macbook "Air" you can't use gestures on the trackpad to zoom your browser or rotate your pictures.

But then, you pick it up, and marvel at it's lightness. The model I have, with the 120GB HDD, weigh's less than a kg. The keyboard, whilst not backlit, has 85 full sized keys with great tactile response.

Last night I worked for over 4 hours without AC power. When I eventually went to sleep, the Low battery warning informed me that I only had juice for another 1 hr 05. Did I mention that this is on the 4-cell battery that comes as standard. There's also a 6-cell battery which comes as an accessory. Be careful though, this bumps the width to a whopping 25mm. (battery life to circa 8 hours though)

You'd think, after Apple's recent announcement that, to put together something his sleek, one actually has to sacrifice on peripherals we've come to take for granted. But you'd be wrong!

The Toshiba R500 is a mere 1mm thicker than the Macbook Air, and Apple compromised with a hidden peripheral slot, housing a single USB, mini-DVI, and headphone socket; no optical drive; no replaceable battery, and a paltry 80GB HDD. They did this in a computer up to 400g heavier.

The R500 on the other hand has a full Dual-layer DVD Burner, a firewire slot, no less than 3 USB slots, PCMCIA type II slot, VGA connector, SD Card slot, physical wi-fi switch, headphone and mic socket with volume control, a 1Gbps Ethernet socket, and a 120GB HDD.

All that, in just one more millimetre! Not bad Toshiba. Like the Mac, you can choose to get the 64GB Solid State Drive, unlike the Mac, this will boost the battery life to an amazing 12.5 hours.

And it's not ugly either. Gone are designs reminiscent of clunky brick, or fridge plastic. This machine is a svelte magnesium alloy. On this PC stickers will detract from it's beauty.

And then....    ...there's the display!!

It's only 12.2" diagonal, but drives a respectable 1280 x 800 pixels. Actually the VGA out simultaneously and comfortably drives my 22" 1680 x 1050 display. But this isn't the innovation.

On the top left corner of the keyboard is a button with a strange icon. A screen with the sun behind it. Press this in the office and whoops, the screen goes dark. But press this outside in the bright sunlight, and suddenly, as if by magic, the screen lights up to wonderful, readable, useful display. The magic of the transreflective screen. In one fell swoop you get to use your computer outside, by the pool, at the coffee shop, and save more battery-life.

So since the Macworld announcement this morning, I've had some interesting thoughts:

• How often do I want to sit with my laptop outside in the sun vs need to see the keyboard in the pitch black on a night flight?
• How many DVD's do I already own that I'd like to watch vs movies I can't yet purchase in Australia to download legally?
• More to the point, just how cool and attractive is this machine.

This is one great computer.

R42

The "2008 Wave Launch" aka Heroes Happen Here 2008, is almost upon us. There'll be Customer and Partner events at all of the major cities, beginning with Sydney at the end of February.

However, I want to direct you to a greater happening, with a larger reach. The Heroes {Community} Launch. I know that Andrew Coates has been blogging about the Heroes in the Community for some time, and it's great to see all of the Launch Technologies being discovered, discussed, and demonstrated so effectively, to such a wide group of professionals.

Some time ago we promised resources to our Hero Leaders. We discussed distributing portable hard drives with VPC's and Demo Content, so that Usergroup Leads, MVPs, MCT's and other leaders in the community can facilitate more demonstrations to their audiences.

I'm happy to mention that this is now underway. Over the next week or so we'll be inviting "Hero Leaders" to register their interest, and will be sending out kits with the stocked up portable hard drives.

Also included in the registration is access to Live Q&A's, Discussion Forums, Train-the-trainer eLearning resources, and online demo content.

Looking forward to making this the largest Community Launch ever....

R42

The HTC TyTN II is still the best phone/PDA I've used to-date, and without it I feel like I'm simply incomplete. More so at the moment as my watch is (not) in for repair, so I need the PPC even to tell the time.

Unfortunately I left it in my car on NYE, which led to the battery going flat (1st time since I got it). No big deal, plug it into a charger and all should be well with the world. Except, no matter what I tried, the phone simply would not find the network. hmmm.

Ok, so now I had a large weighty digital clock (which company security means I need to enter a PIN to access after 15 mins of inactivity) hardly the most functional of gadgets. Yes, I know I could fire up Wi-Fi and connect to my email, calendar, Live Mail, Messenger, Weather etc. But not, as it turns out, in Budgewoi where I was visiting my daughter for a day. She's there on a Scripture Union Beach Mission for 10 days.

By the 2nd, when I was ostensibly back at work (although practically lain low by a flu virus), I was chafing at the feeling of being disconnected. I hadn't been able to SMS friends and family around the world wishing them the best for 2008, neither receive their well wishes.

Yesterday I got into the office, and continued trying to resolve the issue. Here’s a summary of the suggestions I tried and below the actual fix:

1. Try a different NextG SIM in my phone and my SIM in another phone to isolate the problem to either the phone or the SIM
   1. Did this with a couple of SIM’s on my TyTN and phones (none an HTC however)
   2. Confirmed that my account was live, at least on other non-3G phones
   3. Confirmed that my phone was still working, both on our chosen 3G network, as well as other networks.
   4. The only thing that did not work was my phone on my account.
2. Change all the network and band selection settings to Automatic
   1. Impossible to do with the SIM in the phone the phone settings dialogue on the TyTN II are only exposed when there is a working SIM in place and the phone is attached to the network.
   2. Replaced the SIM with another and checked these settings – all of them where already on automatic...
3. Call the network provider and confirm there wasn’t a block on the account for some reason, particularly a block on the account with an HTC IMEI
   1. Spoke to two very helpful call centre engineers
   2. Confirmed that there was no block on my account of any sort
   3. Also confirmed that this particular network is helpful despite the HTC being “unsupported” on our chosen network – there was no behaviour or evidence that the operators wouldn’t help me because I was using an unsupported phone. Reinvigorated my faith in fellow humanity :o)
4. Remove the SIM PIN (this worked for a work colleague)
   1. Didn’t get to try this – impossible to do on my phone (see point two)
   2. However, had I read the email earlier I could’ve tried this by turning off the PIN in another device, then returning the SIM to my TyTN II
5. Clean off the SIM with an alcohol wipe to ensure proper contact with the points.
   1. Again, only received this suggestion this morning – too late as I’ve already resolved the issue. Interestingly, along the right track though.
6. Hard Reset the TyTN II
   1. Ended up not trying this as the cost (reinstalling applications, losing SMS’s, reconnecting to Exchange etc) outweighed the benefit considering:
      1. It wasn’t guaranteed to work
      2. Another solution may work without needing a reset

So what did I do to resolve the problem:

1. Wandered down to the ever helpful Mobile Fleet Manager here and mentioned that my SIM was no longer working in my phone. Also mentioned all the steps I’d taken to try to resolve the issue.
2. He mentioned that the current batch of 3G SIM’s had a different circuit design to others received in the past.
3. It turns out the common elements with current 3G network access issues include: HTC phones (Touch, Touch Dual, TyTN II) and these new SIMs
4. He replaced my SIM with one which has an older circuit design
5. I called the network to activate this
6. Back online within 5 mins of getting the SIM

Talk about a spurious error - it did provide some insight for me:

• Quite how dependent I am on mobile connectivity - for so much more than voice and SMS
• Quite how intricate connectivity issues can be to resolve - who'd have thought a std 3G SIM wouldn't work in a standards compliant 3G phone....
• Quite how friendly and helpful people can be if you let them (tip: Don't criticise people, don't let your frustration with the issue turn into frustration with them)

R42