Alfred C. Chen's Weblog

I thought that technology is suppose to make life easier?  I won't deny that the iPhone (my latest toy) has provided me with conveniences that a couple years ago would have required that I carry along a mobile phone, digital camera, MP3 player, and laptop computer.  While I love my iPhone, I still use my MacBook Pro, iPod Nano, Canon HD camcorder, and Canon DSLR regularly, depending on the occasion.  With 3 devices that can take pictures and 2 that can capture videos, I'm having a hard time keeping track of everything.  What I really need is a simple and cost effective solution for organizing, editing, sharing, and archiving all my photos and videos.

In this blog, I'm kicking off my efforts (a personal project) to define and implement a single system for managing my digital library, one that I hope will make my life easier.    As with any IT like project, before embarking on the design, it's important to understand the requirements.  It this case, it's a matter of articulating my own needs upfront, so I can be sure that I'm successful and happy with the outcome.  I anticipate that each key requirement will require additional analysis (topics for future blogs) before I can fully define and settle on the priorities (must-haves and nice-to-haves) for this system.  For now, I just want to capture the high level requirements.

I need a system that can grow (scalable) with my needs.  Although I don't foresee buying any new devices in the near-term, it's important that this system can easily accommodate additional data sources.  For example, if my wife gets an iPhone, I will need a way to easily import and manage all her photos and videos as well.  As technology is constantly evolving, I will need a digital library solution that can withstand the test of time.  I anticipate there will be new medias (e.g. Blue-ray) or social platforms where I would like to publish or store my pictures.  It would be great if the system does not lock me in to a particular social platform or external media type.

I enjoy taking pictures and videos, and I have seen my digital library grow exponentially in recent years.  However, I prefer not to invest the equivalent increment in time to manage my digital library.  I need a system that will make it easy to organize and edit my photos and videos.  I'm not a professional, so I do not need a fancy editing tool.  Nor do I want to spend a lot of time on editorial tasks.  Generally, I'm quite content with the "I'm Feeling Lucky" touch-ups provided in tools like Picasa.  While I have typically organized my photos and videos by dates or events, I would like to evaluate and assess the benefits of organizing by other means such as geo tags or facial recognition.

One of the great joy of taking pictures and videos is sharing them with my family and friends.  Currently, I share my pictures with my friends through social media Web sites such as FaceBook.  I also keep my photos from the past year online in my Picasa Web album.  While I have uploaded a couple video clips on YouTube,  I have largely deferred the editing  of my HD videos from the past year.  That will change, as I'm motivated by this project.  For my family (who are less technology savvy), I need this system to also facilitate with the creation of slide shows and home movies for re-play on the home theater or distribution via DVDs.   Occasionally, I do printouts as well.

I currently have my pictures and videos scattered across my Mac and PC, with back-ups on an external hard drive, CDs and DVDs.  One of the key driver for doing this project is my constant fear that one day my PC or Mac will crap out, or that my external hard drive will fail, or that the CDs where I back up my picture are no longer readable by new hardware.  What I need is a fault tolerant solution for backing up and preserving my digital library.  Since my PC is dated and I work largely on my Mac now, I would like to build my digital library around the software and services available on the Mac.  This means I will need a way to migrate and import the pictures and videos from my PC.

Well, I think this is a pretty good start on the requirements for building a system for managing my digital library.  I have identified my needs for organizing, editing, sharing, and archiving all my photos and videos.  Now, I just need a solution.  Any suggestions?

Do you currently use a cellphone while driving your car?  Did you know that starting on July 1, 2008,  a new law in California will go into effect that requires the use of a hands-free device when talking on the cellphone while driving?  Like most people, I don't make it a habit (my #1 pet peeve as well), but I do periodically have a need to make 1 or 2 phone calls.  To comply with the new law, I decided to look into a couple hands-free options that suit my lifestyle.

There are numerous hands-free technology solutions in the marketplace.  I concentrated my search on Bluetooth™ devices because of the support already built into most cellphones, GPS devices, and new cars.  Among the most popular devices are wireless headsets that offer the portability of hands-free talking, both inside and outside of the vehicle.  Around the office, I frequently see people wear their wireless headsets all day long, so it must be somewhat comfortable.  It makes for a fashion statement too, if you are the geeky type.  I have not decided on one yet, but the product reviews on CNET and ConsumerReport were very insightful.  When picking out a wireless headset, you definitely want to consider the size, comfort, ease of use, sound clarity, battery life and cost.

For the road warriors, Bluetooth™speakerphone kits and GPS devices provide a hands-free and headset-free driving experience.  The products in this category allow the driver to talk openly in speaker mode as if inside a mobile conference room.  This may not be a good option, if you want to keep the conversation semi-private.  However, these products do allow you to make calls and take calls without reaching for the phone (true hands-free).  The one that caught my attention, Parrot PMK5800 offers voice recognition for outbound dialing of up to 150 phone numbers.  Like most products in this category, it also accept an audio input for MP3 players.  The music is broadcasted through the car stereo over FM and mutes automatically when you need to make or receive a call.  This will work great with my iPod.

I expected more from the GPS devices (TomTom, Garmin, etc), but the main differentiator vs the speakerphone kits seems to be their GPS service and integrated calling for pointing of interests.  My recommendation would be to buy a GPS if you need a GPS.  Too pricy to buy it just for the hands-free driving.  Finally, most automobile manufacturers already offer Bluetooth™ in the latest models of their cars.  This may just an excuse, but "Honey, it's time to buy a new car, so we can enjoy the hands-free and the integrated driving experience."  Cost aside, a key consideration would be the cellphone compatibility.  Most automobile manufacturer's Website (Toyota, Acura, Lexus, Ford, BMW, etc) provide a listing of the support cellphones and wireless services.  Although if your existing cellphone doesn't work with the car of your dream, it is probably not too excessive to buy a new cellphone as well.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this Blog.  If you haven't gone hands-free yet,  I hope you will join me and other Californians in the switch before July 1st.  To learn more about the new law and how it affects you, checkout the FAQ on the CHP Website.  Drive safely out there.