Tyler S. Miller

Posts Tagged ‘tech’

Website to Weblog

Hello one and all.  I am here today to let ya know that I am changing things up.  Yes, making some changes.  You may have noticed that the header of my blog has changed to state The Weblog of Tyler S. Miller.  It used to say something along the lines of Technology Enthusiast.  The reason for this change is because I am moving the website to a blog, a personal blog.

Courtesy: iStockPhoto

What’s the difference between my previous writing and my future writings?  Well, for one, I will not be focused only on technology.  I am going to use the weblog for posting on anything that passes my way.  I will begin sharing more pictures, videos, and other things related to my life.  Posts might get more personal and will better relate to my life.  Some topics that will come up now and again will be tech, podcasting, running, fitness, health, and social media.  But I am not limited to those topics, and no longer am I limited to only technology.

I am very excited to open up posts to a more personal feel and am very excited to share more of my life with the Internet.  Be on the lookout for new posts, and you now never know what they will cover.  Take care.

-Tyler S. Miller

P.S. On a side note…no more ads on the site.  Yes, they are annoying and were in no way benefiting me in a great way.  I am now relying on you, my readers, to donate to me and my site if you feel so inclined.  Any donation helps and is appreciated.  Donations will go to keeping the blog running, because running a website is not free.  Thanks for all your support!

The Way It Should Be – Episode 16

In this episode of The Way It Should Be, Shawn and Tyler talk about the BP oil spill and how the government is trying to be more transparent and social.  We talk about WikiLeaks, a website devoted to uncovering government secrets.  Then we wrap up with a few thoughts to ponder.  It’s all on this week’s episode of The Way It Should Be.

Direct Download: Episode 16

Subscribe via iTunes: http://itunes.tylersmiller.com
Subscribe via RSS feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/thewayitshouldbepodcast
Email Us: podcast@tylersmiller.com

Advertise with The Way It Should Be podcast.

The Way It Should Be is a production of Knights Entertainment and Tyler S. Miller Media, Inc.

Stir the Nation – Episode 3

Welcome to the Stir the Nation podcast!  This podcast will be brought to you three times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.  All new episodes will be posted by 4pm CST.

In this episode we talk about Twitter Trending Topics, Steve Jobs, a Hulu paid service, iPad Security Flaws, Facebook taking over Google and much more!

Direct Download: Stir the Nation – Episode 3

Steve Jobs Speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc

Call us: 443-494-9797
Email us: stirthenation@tylersmiller.com
Tyler: @tylrsmllr
Roy: @roynaim
Jake: @JakesTutorials

Stir the Nation – Episode 1

Welcome to the Stir the Nation podcast!  This podcast will be brought to you three times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.  All new episodes will be posted by 4pm CST.

In this episode, Tyler and Roy talk about Zappos.com’s CEO Tony Hsieh.  Deep conversation about company culture and customer support…which leads into a discussion about Facebook privacy.  So, take a listen and give us some feedback!

Direct Download – Stir the Nation Episode 1

Call us: 443-494-9797
Email us: stirthenation@tylersmiller.com
Tyler: @tylrsmllr
Roy: @roynaim

New Social Media / Tech Podcast Promo

I am pleased to welcome a new podcast to the tylersmiller.com Network.  Take a listen as one of the show’s hosts explains the upcoming podcast:

Direct Download: Podcast Promo

Hosts:

Tyler S. Miller: @tylrsmllr

Roy Naim: @roynaim

Jacob Cook: @JakesTutorials

Please email comments / questions to daily@tylersmiller.com

Call us! Dial 443-494-9797 and leave us a Voicemail. Your Voicemail could be played on the show. Call us with your questions / comments or anything else you would like us to know!

Week in Review – Episode 6

Episode 6 of the Week in Review Podcast.  This week, Tyler discusses how we should appreciate technology, Google Voice, Conference Calling with Skype, Google Chrome, and quitting Facebook.  It’s all on this week’s episode of the Week in Review podcast for tylersmiller.com.  All talking point posts appear below.

Direct Download: Week in Review – Episode 6

Topics Discussed:

http://www.tylersmiller.com/google-voice-review/
http://www.tylersmiller.com/conference-calling-with-skype/
http://www.tylersmiller.com/the-way-it-should-be-episode-14/
http://www.tylersmiller.com/sync-bookmarks-over-the-internet-with-google-chrome/
http://www.tylersmiller.com/learn-to-appreciate-technology/
http://www.tylersmiller.com/today-is-quit-facebook-day/

Feedback: contact@tylersmiller.com

Today is Quit Facebook Day

http://www.quitfacebookday.com/ is the official website for quitting the social networking site today.  At time of posting, over 28,000 people have signed up to quit Facebook.

Why are we quitting?For us it comes down to two things: fair choices and best intentions. In our view, Facebook doesn’t do a good job in either department. Facebook gives you choices about how to manage your data, but they aren’t fair choices, and while the onus is on the individual to manage these choices, Facebook makes it damn difficult for the average user to understand or manage this. We also don’t think Facebook has much respect for you or your data, especially in the context of the future.

Have you run into this before?  Do you think Facebook respects your data or are they just trying to make money from it?  Oh, and that excerpt was taken from the We’re Quitting Facebook website.  They also state:

There are alternatives to Facebook. Understanding what is best for you will depend a lot on what you need out of your social graph on a daily basis. For some, a combination of services like email, Twitter and Flickr might work. For others, a Ning group or a specialized social site like Akoha might be an option. If the entire population of Brazil can use Orkut, we think that there’s hope for you to find a new home on the web. Wired, ReadWriteWeb and others have recently called for an open alternative to Facebook, and we’re personally excited about the potential of the Diaspora project. At the moment, there aren’t a lot of great options for direct replacement, but know that you’re not alone. When there’s a market need, it’s not long before better options appear. In our minds, the best thing to do is to contribute to that need – and that’s what Quit Facebook Day is about.

So…there are alternatives to Facebook, as you can see.  But are these alternatives enough for you to give Facebook the boot?

Today is national Quit Facebook Day…will YOU quit Facebook?  Sign up here: http://www.quitfacebookday.com/ and quit Facebook at your leisure.

As for me…I’m sticking with the social giant.  I have nothing to hide.  I post content that if made public, is alright.  I am responsible about my postings, and therefore am not quitting Facebook.

Let me know if YOU do.

How Do You Use Technology?

Everyone uses technology in different ways.  Everything from connecting with friends on the Internet to developing new video games.  You use it differently in home and work.  Technology is embracing every way of life these days and I want to know how you use tech daily.  I recently graduated from high school, and am now spending my days sitting at home with technology.  I took a simple VGA cord and connected my laptop to my flat screen TV.  Using a USB extender cord, I have my keyboard on my lap and my wireless mouse at my side.  I can watch high def Hulu on the big screen and even chat with friends on Facebook on a large surface.  Doing that today, made me wonder what everyone else uses tech for.

Were you wondering what my laptop-TV setup looked like?

Click for larger image

Final thoughts…what do you use tech for daily?  Reply in the comments.

Facebook Privacy Leaks Continue

I am not going to post an entire story here, rather link you to a Mashable.com article that better portrays it.  They are reporting that Facebook and other social networks are giving your information away to online advertisers without your permission.

There have been too many security bugs with Facebook recently, and you really should not leave yourself open to chance to get your information out there.  Take these few tips from me before heading on over to Mashable.

  1. Never add a friend on Facebook unless you know who they really are
  2. Never share your username or password
  3. Never post information pertaining to your location or physical address
  4. Never post passwords to your account or share with friends
  5. Do not click on links in private messages or wall posts that lead to sites you are unaware of

Keep those tips in mind, as well as other safe Internet browsing habits, and continue on your way to the Mashable story http://mashable.com/2010/05/20/facebook-caught-sending-user-data-to-advertisers/

It’s a good article, and worth a read.  Be safe online.

Week in Review – Episode 3

This is the Week in Review podcast for tylersmiller.com.  This time on the show, we talk about Hollywood, Twitter, The Way It Should Be podcast, wireless security and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg.  That’s all on the Week in Review podcast with Tyler S. Miller.

Direct Download: Week in Review Podcast – Episode 3

This week’s discussion posts are:
http://www.tylersmiller.com/the-way-it-should-be-episode-11/
http://www.tylersmiller.com/secure-your-home-wireless-network/
http://www.tylersmiller.com/whos-your-favorite-computer-manufacturer/
http://www.tylersmiller.com/force-twitter-followers/
http://www.tylersmiller.com/hollywood-can-remotely-disable-your-outputs/

Thanks for listening to the Week in Review podcast!

I’d love your feedback: contact@tylersmiller.com

Secure Your Home Wireless Network

I posted a few days ago about Germany requiring people to secure their home wireless networks.  In this HOWTO, I show you how to do the same at home.

I use a Linksys router with a custom firmware called DDWRT.  Any other router configuration will look about the same, so just follow along and remember the key points I list at the end of this video.  So, enjoy:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTa_3zYAdjs

Key points:

  • Router IP address is usually on 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1
  • Change your SSID
  • Enable WPA Personal encryption
  • Choose a STRONG password

Week in Review – Episode 2

This week on the Week in Review podcast for tylersmiller.com.  Join me on a tech adventure through the below posts as I dish out my thoughts, rants and opinions on Google, Wikipedia, Advertisements, and Hacking.

Download link: Week in Review podcast – Episode 2

The posts discussed on this week’s episode are:

http://www.tylersmiller.com/united-states-treasury-website-serves-malware/
http://www.tylersmiller.com/make-money-blogging/
http://www.tylersmiller.com/the-way-it-should-be-episode-10/
http://www.tylersmiller.com/wikipedia-now-lets-you-order-printed-books/
http://www.tylersmiller.com/best-advertisement-ever-google-chrome/
http://www.tylersmiller.com/android-runs-on-an-iphone/

Thanks for listening to the Week in Review podcast!

I’d love your feedback: contact@tylersmiller.com

Who Got an iPad?

Short blog post:

I think the iPad is not worth the money.  I think the iPad is an over-sized iPod Touch and iPhone and not something I should invest in.  Can anyone change my mind?

Did you get an iPad?  If so, what are going to be your main uses for it?  Any bad experiences thus far?  How long did you wait in line?  Did you catch Steve Jobs at an Apple store?

So, post your reactions to the iPad…do you like the concept or think it is just hype?  I look forward to your comments.

-Tyler