The DigitalRV Blog

For several years I’ve promoted the Firefox browser. In the book The Digital RV I advise that it is the best browser to choose when working on the Internet. CNet has given it a big thumbs up. And last night I found one more reason to be a giant fan of Firefox.

The latest incarnation of the Harvey Investment scam e-mail hit my inbox, and I went to check out their latest link (see the last post for more information). It was the same fake site with a new address. Their old fake address has been taken down (hooray).

Firefox did something amazing when I navigated to the new fraudulent site. It told me it was a phony site! I included a smaller picture yesterday, but here’s a larger view today.

I love it! Suspected web forgery!!! Amazing! This is something I’d never seen Firefox do. So I looked further into this latest feature.

Specifically, Firefox has “Phishing Protection” now. It identifies sites that are asking for specific data like your social security number from an updated list of offenders on the Internet (I need to find out who provides that service). To read the whole explanation click this link. I’ll be reviewing my Firefox security settings today to see how much more protection I can get. In a nutshell I’ll quote the second item from Firefox’s page on Phishing….

How does the Phishing Protection feature work in Firefox 2? Phishing Protection is turned on by default in Firefox 2, and works by checking the sites that you browse to against a list of known phishing sites. This list is automatically downloaded and regularly updated within Firefox 2 when the Phishing Protection feature is enabled. Since phishing attacks can occur very quickly, there’s also an option to check the sites you browse to against an online service for more up-to-date protection. This enhanced capability, and other Phishing Protection settings, can be configured in Firefox’s Security settings.

To see the security feature in Firefox, check the next picture. I took a screen shot of it. You can either use Firefox’s downloaded list, or check with Google! Gee, I wonder where you can submit the name of a site suspected of Phishing with Google? Oh, wait a minute, Firefox actually offers a way to “flag” the phishers….

From their phishing page Firefox offers the following when you arrive at a potential phishing site that has yet to be Identified….

How do I report a suspected phishing site, or what if a warning appears on my own Web site?In the Help menu there is an option to “Report Web Forgery…” which will bring you to a Web page that you can use to report a suspected phishing site, or to submit an incorrect forgery report.

Now we’ve all got a place to report this garbage. I wonder if they’ll accept stuff like Veriresume as well since they keep sending out phony job offers just to get you to click their ads? Hmmmm, finally, we’ve got somewhere to turn. Thanks Firefox!

This morning I read one of Rich Luhr’s latest posts with interest. He’d written on his mobile office, and the post’s inspiration came from a recent article entitled “Business in a backpack.”

Both the CNN article and Rich’s article are completely in keeping with the Digital RV concept. With the latest in portable equipment you can work from almost anywhere, and in a variety of industries.

This isn’t a new concept, but it’s new to many readers, and to many companies. While corporate America is aware of the latest technology they have often failed to leverage the technology. Often times companies today do not use technology to it’s full capacity due to fears regarding over site of employees. What do I mean by that? Simple. They want to see you in your cube from 8 - 5. Having a virtual office just doesn’t set right with many bigger companies.

But in some instances it works well. I’ve known for well over a decade that most of my work in wireless telecommunications could be done from anywhere. Each night I’d return home from work, and normally I’d get paged regarding one system disaster or other. I’d take my company laptop, connect to the Internet, and in a few moments I’d be online with the offending system and working on restoring it. This would all be from the comfort of my living room, usually on my couch.

Hand in hand with the Digital RV

Being a Digital RV’er allows for so many possibilities, just like the article “Business in a Backpack” points out. In the book I point out entertainment, communications, and business possibilities with the right systems. At this point in time you can work “virtually” from most any corner of the US. And the article Rich Luhr read points out that you can work from most anywhere in the world if need be.

So, working while on the road and touring the country can actually go hand in hand. Sure, you can be a workamper and take on site hosting responsibilities most anywhere in the US. But how about running your own business instead, or working for a larger organization that allows for virtual office roles? That’s now opened up to RV’ers who’ve gone digital.

What do I do, and what do I carry with me?

In my case I’m currently managing my own business from the road. Each day I work with multiple web sites, updating content, managing databases, and doing generic internet work. My e-mail is one of my lifelines for communicating with family and friends as well as conducting business. Job searches, client updates, and even online conferences.

Here’s the list of items I do every week, from the road in my own mobile office:

• Send and receive e-mail.
• Update 4 different web sites.
• Manage SQL Databases.
• Update client web sites.
• Process new photography.
• Process digital video, create and upload podcasts.
• Submit photography to stock photo sites.
• Manage book sales.

There are certainly more things I could do from my mobile office, but those are the highlights from my personal mobile office.
Let’s not forget, the second edition of the Digital RV was produced while on the road. With my wireless network I was able to upload the latest version of the book, deal with edits, resolve issues with the publisher, and get the book produced.

So, what’s in my “tech grab bag”? Not a whole lot honestly. You don’t need to load your rig up with every gadget under the sun. A few select items will have you all squared away, and like the article “Business in a Backpack,” what you have in your RV doesn’t have to be much.

The key items for my mobile office are:

• A Macbook Pro 15 inch laptop.
• 2 Lacie Firewire portable hard drives (100GB each).
• A Verizon Wireless EVDO card (to access the internet).
• Kyocera KR1 WiFi Router (works with the EVDO card).
• Canon SD550 Elph Camera (can fit in your pocket).
• Canon EOS 30D Camera (a larger SLR digital camera).
• 60GB Video IPod (entertainment mostly).

There are a few other random items here and there, but that’s the bulk of my equipment that gets used every day.  And with the exception of the 30D camera, everything else fits neatly into a small bag.  Just like the author of, “Business in a Backpack.”

So, when you’re considering the Digital RV concept, keep in mind, there’s a lot you can do with a little equipment.  And remember, beyond business needs, the latest mobile technology can save you a ton of space in your RV and expand your entertainment options as well!

Recently I signed up to Blog Carnival. It’s a site that let’s you select categories on what you blog about, and submit your articles to the particular category that interests you. So, I submitted 2 articles from the Digital RV blog regarding mobile tech, and they were approved and added to an interesting “Blog Carnival”. You can see the page at http://odds.endsofthecontemporary.com/2007/07/techblog-carnival-jul-5/

The concept behind Blog Carnival is that you will increase your traffic and the traffic of others through interlinking of blogs. And usually that’s what happens.

I’d suggest to mobile and non-mobile bloggers alike check out blog carnival. If you’re blogging about a particular topic, you might do well linking up with other bloggers who have a similar interest. Go to Blog Carnival and look for yourself.

Being a Digital RV’er means you have more options while on the road, right? Well, yes, it does.

Digital RV’ing also opens you to some issues as well. Your data can be exposed via WiFi networks, shared networks at parks you visit, and more. But you can control that pretty simply.

• Get a good firewall running on your system.
• Use Anit-Virus software.
• Secure your wireless network. Always use a WEP key.
• Backup your data regularly!

There’s the simple steps. But there’s more, and your exposed every day, not by your computer and digital technology. You’re exposed just through your existence!

You’ve probably heard the stories often on the TV or Radio news. Large corporations, the federal government, state governments have lost data. 60,000 employees data gets out into the public. Hackers have gotten into credit card clearing house databases. The list goes on and on. And none of it has to do with your personal digital security measures!

What can you do?

For this author I paid attention to a recent advertising campaign. Life Lock caught my attention, and I researched them, and finally signed up with them.

Now, do you really need an outside service out there to protect your credit and good name? Yes, absolutely. From a friend’s direct experience I became concerned and protected myself with Life Lock.

My friend, “Mr. J” was a full-time RV’er for several years. He and his wife lived aboard a Class A for two years before building a new house. Their travels were very short, and they didn’t do coast to coast as I have over the past year. As a matter of fact, they stuck close to “home”. All the familiar stops, shops, and service spots.

During their time aboard their RV Mr. J’s identity was stolen. A knock came at his door one afternoon, the local sheriff had come with a warrant for his arrest! He was accused of writing bad checks all over town.

With a little research Mr. J found that a person had opened an account in his name. The person opened credit cards too. And he was running a muck with Mr. J’s identity. How did it happen?

9 months earlier Mr. J had his RV serviced at his local dealer. The dealer’s nephew did some work in the rig, and while working in the rig, copied Mr. J’s driver’s license information and registration information. The dealer’s nephew was the criminal. No computer use, no hacking, just someone coming across your hard documents is all you need!

One year later Mr. J is still cleaning up his credit reports.

Knowing his story I’ve remained concerned since I hit the road. When I came across Life Lock I was thrilled. For under $150 a year they promise to keep my identity safe! The service is simple and easy to setup. The peace of mind it offers is priceless.

Life Lock is not a sponsor here.  I paid for their service just like anyone else.  They are a service I’d recommend.  I’d suggest you research them on your own and make your own decision.  For me, they provide extra piece of mind while I’m on the road.  That simple!

Oh, Mr. J is now a Life Lock customer too.

In a surprising move, Apple launched Safari 3’s Beta for both Macintosh and Windows.  Why would Apple do that, given Firefox exists?

Over the past few years I’ve been using both Macintosh & Windows.  The browsers provided by each of the software manufacturers have never been as good as others available on the Internet.  Both Explorer and Safari always fell behind the curve.  And unfortunately, Safari for Windows (and Mac for that matter) still doesn’t measure up.

Apple claims speed increases in the latest inception of Safari over Explorer and Firefox.  Hunting the web you’ll find many groups that have already done benchmark testing to see if it’s true.  So far, the reviews seem to be mixed.

What is clear regarding the latest version of Safari is simple.  It’s no Firefox.

Fortunately, the latest version of Safari displays XHTML and CSS properly.  After a recent change to Gadget’s Airstream Chronicles I received several complaints from Windows users who browse the web with Internet Explorer.  Amazingly enough, Firefox, Netscape, & Safari could read the new version of the site perfectly.  Explorer choked, and it seems it was dying on the updated Style Sheets.  Geeze, Microsoft still can’t get it right, even if industry standards comply with the updated site.   Safari on Windows does in fact display the updated site properly, so there’s a plus in Apple’s favor.
Why the big software vendors think it’s necessary to create their own browser is beyond me.   My simple suggestion to everyone out there.  Get Firefox, enjoy your web browsing experience!  Sorry Apple, sorry Mircrosoft……you’re still not getting it in the browser space, and that’s fine, there are other people who do get it.

Need to read some reviews?  Here you go:

http://blog.wired.com/cultofmac/2007/06/wwdc_safari_3_o.html 

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070612-afirst-look-safari-3-on-windows.html 

Take it from me, both Windows & Mac users:  Stick to Firefox!

A year and a half after the successful launch of the first book on mobile technology for RV enthusiasts, The Digital RV Blog is happy to announce the Second Edition is available for purchase!

Currently “The Digital RV“, the second edition is available direct through the publisher, LuLu.com. The book lists for $15.95 hard copy, and $7.95 e-book. With 4 additional chapters, direct on the road experience from the author, The Digital RV is an excellent introduction to using mobile technology to enhance your next RV trip.

In order to purchase the Digital RV, simply click any of the links in this article, or click on the Orange button in the right hand bar on this page. Or click the new cover image below to begin ordering!

Of course, the second edition of the book will be available once again at several Internet resellers as well.

• Airstream Life Magazine’s Web Site
• Workamper.com
• RVBookstore.com
• Amazon.com

Within the next two weeks resellers should have the second edition available, but if you must get a copy now, feel free to order through LuLu.com.  The author gets to keep a little more income that way too! 

Over the course of the past year I’ve gotten to talk with many readers. And I’ve heard observations on the book regarding most everything covered.

One theme has popped up several times, and I’d like to address it here. A reader recently wrote in a simple to the point observation. “You seem to have a very strong bias to Macintosh.”

The short answer is, “Yes, I do.”

I’ll always be happy to write Windows how to’s, create podcasts for Windows users as a tech demonstration, etc. But when push comes to shove, you’ll find me working on my MacBook Pro, or my IBook, not my HP Windows system.

Ah, he’s another one of those Macintosh hardcore followers. That’s got to be it. Actually, no, it’s something more than that. The truth of the matter is that the Digital RV is all about recomending technology that works for RV’ers. On the road things are very different from home. If something breaks down or is hard to use while in a remote spot, who can help you out. Normally, nobody. So, in the interest of sharing the best avaialble with readers, I always lean toward Mac now.

So, has this author always been a strong Mac proponent? No, not at all. At one time I urged people away from Macintosh and towards the Windows operating system. And there were good reasons to do so then. Now there are good reasons to move away from Windows only systems back to Mac.

In the early 90’s while in undergraduate I worked in the campus computer lab. It was a pretty even split. IBM clones, and little rectangular Macs. No strong preference at that point in time. My biggest issue in that lab was keeping the printers running near the end of each semester.

While in grad school doing my thesis on the Economics of Digital Networks I moved toward Windows. Windows NT was out. Stable system. Web servers were easy to install. Roaming packs of hackers hadn’t hit the scene quite yet. Windows was robust, memory efficient, and the software / hardware was cheap compared to Mac.

The first job out of grad school was with a small magazine / internet publisher. They had installed a Windows NT server in an office full of Macs. I got to compare the systems first hand, and Macintosh lost out in my mind. That was 1995. The Macs were memory hogs, the equipment was expensive, and the software was equally expensive. Windows NT and 95′ offered everything Mac didn’t. Cheaper hardware, better memory usage, cheap software, and lots of freeware available on the Internet. On a daily basis I urged the owners of that business to move away from Mac and to Windows 95.

In my opinion, Windows 95 & 98 were fantastic. In the early days of the Internet there was so much available for those systems. I ran Windows NT networks, worked with 95 & 98 clients, and found the operating systems to be fantastic. At the same time, it looked like Macintosh was in real trouble.

But a big shift occurred. After 98 there was ME. That was my next OS. And it was terrible. Drivers didn’t work, hardware incompatibilities cropped up, and I found myself spending more time dealing with glitches than using the Windows systems for work. If you spend 6 hours fixing the software, and 2 hours working, you’re really hurting productivity.

In 2002 my ex was having some really big troubles with her custom Dell Laptop loaded with Windows. She didn’t get what she paid for, and she’d spent well over $2500. Driver problems, video problems, and a system that served better as a paper weight than anything else. And oh yes, she was a tech professional as well.

I suggested checking into Macintosh again, as I heard the system was powered by a Unix operating system. Given her unix expertise I thought it might go well. So she picked up a Mac, and that’s when my change began. As I tinkered with her system and looked around I found it stable, easy to use, reasonable software, and found that Mac gave you everything you needed to be productive off the bat!

I bought my own system several weeks later.

5 years later I’m extremely pro Macintosh. I don’t work for them, get no income from them, but will happily advise readers to strongly consider them at their next PC purchase. Why do I continue to be so pro Mac? Here’s the list:

• They work.
• Plug & Play really is plug and play on a Mac.  In test after test while writing the Digital RV, new equipment used on the Mac took under 10 minutes to setup.  New equipment on a brand new Windows system often took much longer (sometimes into hours).
• Macs can now run a split system with Parallels, allowing you to run Mac & Windows at the same time.  If you HAVE to run Windows, you can.  Then when you want to enjoy your experience, just hop over to the Mac interface again.
• Mac includes all the software you need to be productive.  Windows, with multiple versions / levels, does not.  By the time you’re done loading software on your inexpensive laptop, you’ve surpassed a mid-range Mac setup.
• Mac is user friendly.  Period.
• 1 year on the road, 0 tech issues with my MacBook or IBook.  Several failures with my HP Windows XP system.

So, yes, there’s a Mac bias here at the Digital RV.  I’ll make no apologies.  I advise readers on what will work best for them while traveling.  My requirements are simple.  Devices need to work, add to the travel experience, take little space, do more than one thing, be easy to maintain, and not consume all of your time as you’re traveling not working in an office.  And Macintosh fits very well within my digital rv.  This Digital RVer wouldn’t have it any other way.

Does that mean I’ll never go with Windows again?  Absolutely not!  If a new stable system comes along from Windows again that meets all my requirements, I’d switch back.  So far though it seems that’s not in the cards, and Mac will remain in my Airstream for a while.

If you’ve worked out your Internet on the road, and you’ve got a computer along, you’re all ready to have your own weather station!

Currently, there’s a host of weather services on the Internet ready to provide you with all your current weather information you need.  Simply pop in the zip code of your current location to the weather service of your choice and you’ll get up to the minute information regarding current conditions, as well as a 5 or 10 day forecast.  See the multi-day forecast for my current location from Weather.com below:

The standard favorite weather service is provided by the Weather Channel.  Weather.com has all the weather information you’ll ever need!

If you’re like me, and you’re using a Macintosh, there are many “Dashboard” widgets available to get your latest weather.  Take a look at the image below and you’ll see what I mean.  I don’t just track my current weather, but I’ve added a second widget to my screen in order to check the weather of my next destination.

Services like Weather Bug, Weather.com, and many others offer Dashboard widgets now.  Simply head to Apple.com and search for the latest widgets.

Before you run out and get the latest portable weather station take a look at the tech you have on hand.  Computer + Internet = Powerful weather tracking tools already in your possession.  That’s part of being a Digital RV’er, making sure that you use the tech you have on hand rather than running out and getting every digital gadget under the sun.  Sometimes less really does lead to a better experience, don’t you think?

Just for fun, try a few of the weather services on the net.  If you get a few with the same 5 day forecast I’d be surprised.  And as with all weather information, accuracy is hit or miss!  But at least you’ll walk away feeling informed. 

This morning while talking with a friend I was asked, “What’s this about XM and Sirrius merging?”  That was a funny question.  Only a few hours earlier I’d gotten an e-mail from XM announcing the merger to current subscribers.

It seems that the belief out there right now is the combination of the two companies will help them toward becoming profitable. Hmmm.  It also means that consumers won’t have a choice in competitive pricing.  CNET’s most recent take can be read following this link.

We’ll still have to watch this merger.  I’m sure regulators will step in on this one.  The big issue will be focused on monopoly for sure.  However, with only two satellite radio operators in a market, oligopoloy power already existed.

Orbitcast has some thoughts on the monopoly and pricing issues.  Interesting read.  Techdirt also has an interesting thread on it as well.

Here’s my bottom line on this merger.  It’s not shocking.  Neither company has been in the black.  Further, they’ve been paying insane contracts to get some on air talent.  Maybe some of that will stop.  Finally, I’m sorry to say, but certain industries tend toward monopoly.  Just take a look at most network services.  Broadband, Wireless, & Telephony.  Sure, “Ma Bell” was broken up.  But the Baby Bells have been reassembling themselves like the liquid metal fellow from Terminator 2.  The reality in networked businesses is that they will always be monopolistic or oligopolisitc.  Is AT&T now Cingular, or is Cingular AT&T?  You got me on that one.
Is the merger a good thing?  Not sure.  If it is allowed to go forward I’ll probably be seeing a higher bill for my satellite radio services.  Regulators have a ton of catching up to do when it comes to digital technologies.  Many pricing models applied in the communications industry still harken back to the analog days.  Digital tech throws a curve ball at ideas like “long distance pricing” and standard congestion models.  And when it comes to media, the big concern is that one provider controls all the information reaching the masses.  Never gives anyone a warm fuzzy. 
So, the Sirius / XM merger is one more digital service out there that desires to be consolidated.  We’ll have to wait and see if it’s allowed, and how it will impact users down the road.  Wonder how much the hearings on this will cost us….. 

Since the release of Vista I’ve received many private e-mails regarding the new OS. Unfortunately I haven’t tried it out yet. So yesterday I was doing a little research to see if I wanted to upgrade the HP that travels with me.

I’d seen the Vista OS available at Best Buy back in Las Cruces. The price ranged from $200 - $400. Pretty steep for a single user license of a new OS. So I held off.

While researching yesterday I checked CNET.com, as they always have good reviews. Well, the first thing I came across was a quick video on the Top 5 Reasons to not get Vista yet! I’ve linked it for you as well. Guess I’ll hold off on testing the platform for the moment.

So, no direct response for those asking about Vista. And for the short term, I won’t be trying it myself. If you give it a whirl let me know how it works out for you.

As an after thought, check out CNET’s query on Vista User’s Opinions.  5.6 out of 10 so far…..