Question: Robert asks, "What is this Mi-Fi thing Verizon's got and how do I use it to connect things to the Internet?"
Answer: Good question, Robert. Verizon's Mi-Fi device is kind of new, and kind of not. They've had it for a while, hence the kind of not, but now they're more available. They are potentially as fast as cable for Internet speed and act as their own Wi-Fi router. It connects you to the Internet, and then you may connect up to five different devices to it via Wi-Fi, in other words, 802.11B, G, or N. They are portable and also can connect to a computer via USB. If your devices have wireless capability, you can connect them to the Internet through the MiFi. If they don't you need to connect them with USB, or some other way. We can help you there. But be forewarned: your data transfers are NOT unlimited and the maximum amount per month you can purchase on a single plan is 10GB for $80. Exceeding that will cost you an extra $10 per GB, and if you get the lowest cost plan, you only get 1GB of data transfer per month. Each additional GB costs an extra $20, and Windows Updates always count against your data allowance, regardless of which plan you're on.
Cool Site: AlamoHeroes.com & TheAlamo.org: I heard last week that we here in Texas are now teaching the story of the Alamo from a "neutral perspective". This bothered me so I thought that this week, we'd look at a site that tells it like we remember, when we remember the Alamo. AlamoHeroes.com is that site. It’s a little short on content, but stories of the major players are there. The second site, this week it's a two-fer, is TheAlamo.org. This is the official website of the Alamo. You'll find just about everything there about the Alamo and the history of the battle, including the myths surrounding the battle, like for instance, the myth that there were no survivors. There were women and children who survived, as well as a very few men who didn’t fight against Santa Anna. So if you want to really remember the Alamo, check out these sites. As a bonus, check the show notes for a link to Travis' famous letter, including the postscript wherein he expresses his belief that the Lord is on their side, which He was, by the way.
Cool Gadget: USB Missile Launcher: OK, this week's gadget is a toy, but it's more of a joke. It's from dreamcheeky, and it's a missile launcher. It's USB powered, and has a built-in webcam for better aiming. It comes with software that lets you pan the launcher from side to side and tilt it up and down. Then with the press of a button, you can launch one of four soft foam missiles up to 25 feet. The site doesn't have a video of the launcher in action, so I can't confirm whether the missiles rotate so that you always shoot the top one, or whether they are simply shot in sequence. But it's a great time-waster, and it looks like fun.
It's All "Geek" To Me: Webmaster: A while back we used this term during our All Geek To Me segment, and never defined it. So this week, our term is Webmaster. A number of Christian sites use the term Webservant to describe the same thing. A webmaster is someone who is in charge of a website. You may have to create web pages, maybe even write some programming code, articles to update the site, that kind of thing. You may also have to respond to email from the site's visitors as well. So, if you have a website that you keep up to date, you're a webmaster.
