Convergence: Google Earth, ExpertGPS, Wikipedia

It's amazing how much can happen with a simple software upgrade. It's mind boggling the compounding power of simple software upgrades of multiple packages.

Many of you know my love for ExpertGPS ~ a great tool for working with GPS devices, managing routes and waypoints, the usual stuff. Dan Foster (the author) sells a "family license" for like $80 which gives you free upgrades for life. (I prefer this over Google Earth because I can cache the maps offline ~ maybe you can do that with GE now?)

Step 1. ExpertGPS now has an urban maps option which, in addition to topo and aerial, gives greater clarity; but they also have a "Go To Address" function. I looked up "Doty, WA 98539" (where the Lyons clan originated from, and my brother is now.)

Step 2. ExpertGPS now also has a "Press F7 to see in Google Earth". Sure enough... ZOOM... right to 46 38.138 / 123 16.764. As I'm browsing around in GE, I notice a blue dot titled Doty, Washington.

Step 3. I double-click the blue Doty, Washington dot and get a Wikipedia window with a "stub" entry for this once-thriving logging metropolis. Now, there is TONS of history for this town of 500, as it was quite the boom town in the early 1900's. You won't any good history on Google, though. (Ironically, Google thinks there's hair salons and hotels... not for the last 100 years or so.)

But what a great project for kids! Use Google Earth to examine towns in Washington, or around the country, and then update the Wikipedia entries. Even Kent, WA, which has a more robust entry, has some great history that hasn't been captured in Wikipedia.

Derry's Music, Johnny A, and The Long Tail

So my musical interests have forced me down The Long Tail (see my earlier post). I was listening to the radio (103.7 The Mountain here in Seattle) and heard a great guitar piece by artist Johnny A. Being the Music 1.0 person that I am, I began searching for the (gasp) CD.
(Interesting side note... his web site says "New CD... in store now". Oh really?)

BMG Music? C'mon... get real...
Wal Mart? Online only.
Fred Meyer? No. (Although the helpful kid told me it would be in the Blues section under 'A'. Right. If they had it.)
Fye? We're out. (And it would have been under Jazz)
Borders? Nope. (Who?)
(...light bulb... DING!)
My old stomping ground... the "old faithful" of CD's... Silver Platters! (No sir. "We're out, but we can order it for you." I didn't want to ask why I needed him to order it for me when I could get it online... obviously I'm not savvy enough to do that myself.) Interesting that they had more white place cards than they did CD's.

So... I can order it online from Amazon, or from his web site...just get out my Visa and be done with it. I could probably download it via VCast on my cell phone even. Why have I spent almost a month driving from store to store?

...because that's the way I've always shopped for music. I want the tangible CD, I want to fuss with the shrink-wrap in the front seat and listen to it on the way home. Maybe it's a tradition... or maybe that's been the LIMITATION.

Guess I'll head off to order the CD online and put an end to my impatience, but what a reflection on my old school behavior. I'll let you know how the ALBUM sounds once I get it...

Jott Blog Post

(Edited only for clarity... this post was conducted via my cell phone at 45 mph through Jott. Sure it's short, and some of the language doesn't make sense, but you can hear the original audio. Not bad for a free service...)

So, I'm really excited. This is a service called Jott, which their latest enhancement allows me to record a message, it transcribes it and it will post it to my blog. So it's kinda of a morph from podcasting to blogging and ability to do it from a cellphone anywhere, so thinking about voice recognition software and the next phase of that which rather have it installed on your computer or service on your cellphone. The convergence of this...
Click here to listen

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