Ron Guest

Not really a surprise Internet advertising rebounded from the slump or that it hit a new record but there are some standout points in the report. The most striking to me is that Email marketing revenues not only fell off a cliff but that it represents just 1% of the market. That’s good news and I’m sure we all hope it falls further :)

The biggest growth surprise was Sponsorships which were up 88%. IAB didn’t start tracking mobile advertising until last year (umm, a bit slow on that one) so there is no YoY comparison. But in 2010 it is estimated to account for about $600 Million (plus or minus a few 10s of millions).

Visit Mashable for the full story and a link to the detailed report.

Internet Ad Revenue Rebounded, Hit Record High in 2010.

Sun dappled trail ride

Only in Texas?

Clowning around

DARPA released a anti-submarine warfare simulator and is asking for the public to ….. try to track (simulated) enemy submarines. Their goal is to collect data from as many players as possible in order to see which tactics work best (and worst). Very interesting use of crowdsourcing by a normally very closed industry.

You’re free to download and use the game even if you don’t want to submit your results. I.e. you are in control over whether or not any usage info is posted back to DARPA.

DARPA | DARPA ACTUV.

We often hear how terrible the education system is in the US and certainly see the benefits of many highly intelligent and motivated immigrants from India. Hence I’m really surprised to read this rather dismal assessment of general education in India…

India Graduates Millions, but Too Few Are Fit to Hire - WSJ.com.

I can’t completely agree with this review for one simple reason: my Airport Extreme does not run hot. In fact it is quite cool even though it is installed in a small equipment cabinet.

More seriously I think the review sums up my pre-purchase thinking and after-purchase result. The Extreme has been rock solid since I installed it while providing very good performance to a mixed network of Macs, Wintels, AppleTVs, DirecTVs, iPhones etc. connected using different speeds of WiFi and Ethernet (via various hubs). It is not the most feature-rich but does everything I need and more. Administratively the main complaint I have is it isn't easy to get a list of active devices. Since that's not something I need to do often it's a feature I can easily live without.

Being a techie there are times I love to tinker and reconfigure devices but now that I have a whole family, and family of devices, constantly on the internet I simply want a router that "works" and the Extreme fits the bill perfectly.

Is the AirPort Extreme worth the price?.

Private bowling lanes for the party!

Bee you ti ful 7th Birthday cake

For Pho

Sidewalk Hottie

I’ve been closely following the investigation into Stuxnet and this video is a great introduction. I spent a big chunk of my career creating control systems followed by another chunk creating security products. I can assure you the control system industry, and hence it’s customers, are very poorly prepared to deal with any serious attack. Most users, even your average developer, think that addressing a security issue just means putting out a software patch. But those more heavily involved know that in many cases a true fix can require an architectural overhaul - sometimes on a massive scale. Vendors don’t undertake this kind of change without massive pressure from their customers and this is completely lacking in this industry. The only way I can see of forcing the needed changes (in implementation and in mentality of the industry) prior to a disaster would be government regulation along the lines of Sarbanes-Oxley. In other words forcing CxOs to sign off they instituted mandated changes and that their security statements are correct. Those who know me know I generally don’t favor creation of more regulation. However in this case I think it is the only solution short of letting a disaster occur.

Cracking Stuxnet, a 21st-century cyber weapon | Video on TED.com.

Looks like the Canadian ISPs have forced Netflix to cut streaming quality due to bandwidth caps. I have to think the US will soon "enjoy" the same "enhancement". The current quality is OK for smaller devices but not so great on our large TVs. Reduced quality would really suck... Note to you luddite movie and TV content owners: I'm willing to pay for convenient access to shows I want to watch. 

Data caps claim a victim: Netflix cuts streaming video quality.

There's been a lot of focus on rumors of Apple introducing Cloud storage for music and movies as part of a revised MobileMe offering. I still expect this to happen but Amazon has seized first mover advantage. Lack of iPhone support means I'm not too interested though.

Amazon officially introduces ‘Cloud Drive’ music service

I stated as much when Nokia originally filed their complaint and took a lot of crap from some Nokia lovers. I doubt I’ll get any sort of apology for that… Most folks don’t understand the patent portfolio game that’s played amongst the leading tech companies.

Apples mobile products do not violate Nokia patents, says ITC.

This is sweet. I’m going to set this up tonight :)

How To Play Your iTunes Library Remotely Over a VPN

Concise and on point- as Mike usually is. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in social media.

Mobile Opportunities for Entrepreneurs

Beauty & the Beast - Spiderman vs a Dragon

Road trips are hard work!

You mean this is an all I can eat buffet

Early emptiness

The AppleTV is now sporting two apps: one for MLB subscriptions and the other NBA league pass. Just update to 4.2 (released today). See below for the full scoop (via Arstechnica).

Live MLB and NBA games come to Apple TV via software update.

If you’ve got an original model iPad and want a new one don’t be afraid to sell yours online. Apple products have good resale value. I’ve had a great experience selling used gear to Gazelle.com.

Used iPads selling well on eBay and Gazelle.

Parasol on the wall

Early morning today - Dinosaur Train with mini Me