Category Archives: Technology

My Problogging Setup

Computers

Desktop
Antec Sonata 2 Computer CaseOddly enough, the system I use the least is also my most powerful. My desktop computer was put together by me, and includes an Antec Sonata II case, Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 processor, two gigabytes of DDR2 ram, and 750 gigabytes of hard drive space. I use a wireless HP keyboard, a super cheap Logitech optical mouse, and have a reasonably decent 19-inch Samsung LCD. I have both Ubuntu Linux and Windows Vista on this computer, and I spend about equal time in both operating systems now.

Laptops
MacBook ProI have two laptops, though one has become my wife’s more than mine. I have my MacBook Pro which I do almost all of my work on, and then a IBM ThinkPad T43 which I check out web development work using Windows XP. The MacBook Pro was purchased just before the most recent update in its specs, meaning mine is a 2.16GHz model with a single gigabyte of ram. Of course I use OS X 10.4 on the MacBook Pro, but I hope to update to Leopard as soon as certain important things are fixed.

Camera

Canon PowerShot S1 ISMy camera is a few years old now, but it is one of the first free gadgets I received from my blogging work with Bloggy Network. It is a Canon PowerShot S1 IS and provides me with a whole 3.2 megapixels of resolution, and a 10x optical zoom. What I like most about it is its movie mode, which allows me to still use the optical zoom. I would love to upgrade to the S5 IS which has an 8 megapixel sensor, and 12x optical zoom, but that’s still a rather pricey endeavor, and my wife would like me to puchase something more compact and portable next time.

Podcasting Microphone

Samson Q1UFor the myriad of podcasts I do, I have my trusty USB microphone, the Samson Q1U which I ordered off someone on eBay. It is a very professional feeling microphone and works really well for podcasting. For the most part, any sound degradation you hear in the podcast is usually due to my incompetence as an audio editor.

External Drive

Something that too many people forget to do, especially bloggers, is backing things up. I would be lost without my data, and I am pretty religious about backing up my desktop and my IBM laptop. I haven’t yet got into the habit of backing up my MacBook Pro yet, but that will come when I upgrade to Leopard.

I currently use a nGEAR external 3.5″ case to house a 250GB Western Digital IDE hard drive. It was a fairly cheap option and works well for me. I can remove the drive and add another one whenever I need, unlike some of the prepackaged drives you can pick up from the hard drive manufacturers.

Leisure

Nintendo WiiTo help me unwind or just to keep me happy, I have my two consoles, the Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii. I consider these to be some of the smartest purchases I have made, despite also being the most tempting distractions.

I can load up a game on the Xbox 360, get some frustration out, and then hit the computers for some more blogging, or WordPress work.

Do You Need All This?

Of course you don’t need all these things in your blogging setup, but I highly recommend getting some good equipment if you plan on doing this long term. There is nothing worse than the computer freezing and crashing in the middle of a post, horrible audio quality in a podcast, or a cranky writer not adding anything valuable to the web.

I highly recommend having a laptop, especially if you want to move around. I find moving to different locations in my house, or outside my house can quickly and easily refocus and refresh myself.

What is your blogging setup? Let me know, and the best response will earn a 125×125 pixel advertisement for the rest of November (please let me know if your comment should be entered into the contest, end date is the seventh of November).

Coverage
Check out the great post about the contest at My Blog Contest and Contest Beat.

Originally posted on November 3, 2007 @ 5:27 pm

How to Record Google Hangout Calls with Movavi Screen Recorder

Using Google Hangouts to make video calls is easy and once you open a Hangout session with them you can start a video call with a click of a button. However unlike messages sent via Google Hangouts there is no way to view past video calls, and it isn’t possible to save your video calls natively.

Although Google Hangouts does not have a feature to save its video calls, you can get around that by recording the calls yourself – using Movavi Screen Recorder. It is a software that will let you record video footage of your screen and anything that is on it, so you can record an ongoing Google Hangouts call and then save it afterwards.

 

If you want to learn how to record a Google Hangout, you’ll find it surprisingly simple. Before you begin your call, launch Movavi Screen Recorder and draw a frame over the area where the call will be located using your mouse cursor. When the interface appears after that, make sure the ‘System Audio’ and ‘Microphone’ icons are both highlighted so that both the incoming and outgoing audio from the call will be recorded.

It is possible to adjust other parameters such as the sound levels and frame rate, or to set Movavi Screen Recorder to display and save keyboard and mouse actions. In this case however none of that is necessary, and you can press ‘REC’ and start recording when you’re ready to begin your call.

After the call is done (or if you want to stop the recording at any point) just click ‘Stop’. As soon as you do Movavi Screen Recorder will save your video in MKV format, but it will also open it in a preview window for you to go over it. In that preview window you can also trim out any parts you don’t want, or click ‘Save As’ to save it once again – perhaps in a different format.

As you can see setting up Movavi Screen Recorder to record Google Hangout calls is straightforward and once you try it out you should be able to set it up in minutes the next time round. Because of how easy it is you should have no trouble quickly starting to record a call, even if you haven’t prepared for it in advance.

Assuming you’d like to save any of your calls on Google Hangouts and be able to watch them again or refer to them in the future – this is the best way to do so. Having the option to save your calls will undoubtedly come in handy, which is why it is a good idea to keep Movavi Screen Recorder around – just in case.

Originally posted on December 18, 2017 @ 9:38 pm

How Does One Earn from Blogging?

Having a corporate job or starting an own business may be the first things that pop into one’s mind when to earning money. This may be something very common to many, but earning doesn’t stop there. And one of the underrated ways to earn is through blogging. It is defined as a personal web log wherein the host of the website shares his/her thoughts regarding various matters depending on the topics discussed. Content may range from fashion, lifestyle, food, travel, current news, and a whole lot more. This is also often associated to social media accounts. What makes it different from websites in general is that it is frequently updated and encourages reader engagement. What used to be just a platform for sharings one’s thoughts and interests, now became a medium for marketing and earning money as well. Continue reading

Originally posted on October 18, 2017 @ 3:56 am

3 Markets That Are Thriving in the Technology Age

Here in 2018, technology has become a mainstay. It now has its hands in everything we do from how we cook to how we sleep. Along the way, the evolution of technology has made the need for some markets negligible.

For example, when was the last time you shopped in a video rental store like Blockbuster? Thanks to companies like Netflix, Hulu, and Gamefly, we simply don’t have the need for them anymore. There are, however, some markets that are thriving in the advancement of technology. Below are three of them. Continue reading

Originally posted on February 5, 2018 @ 2:56 am

Using SEO To Reach College Students

Teens and college students of all ages are going about college much differently these days. A lot of younger college students still like the idea of traditional college, the whole brick and mortar thing. Many older students are doing the online college thing. But you can’t just pigeonhole any one type of college student.

You can bet that most people looking into going to college, no matter how old they are, are using the internet to pick their schools, apply to school, and even attending at least one course online, if not pursuing their whole degree online. If you are a college looking to attract new students, here are some things you need to be doing. Continue reading

Originally posted on February 23, 2017 @ 2:44 am