Question: James asks, "What's the difference between Wi-Fi and Mi-Fi?"
Answer: Good question, James. I always understand when industry terms are rhymed to come up with what is really a brand name, but I also know that it will create a certain amount of confusion among folks. Wi-Fi refers to the short-range wireless communications standard used by all newer laptops that works at home with a wireless router, and at wireless hotspots. It's technically called 802.11. Mi-Fi is a brand name for a Verizon product that combines a wireless router and a 3G connection. Unlike most general-purpose home routers, the Mi-Fi only does wireless, there are no ports to plug network wires into, although there is a USB port to plug into the computer or the charger. But that's what it is: a Wi-Fi-only router that connects to Verizon's wireless cellular 3G Internet service.
Cool Site: YouthMinistryIdeas.net: I'll admit it. Our youth programs are going through a bit of a transformation. We have a new pastor whose background is in youth ministry, so we're picking his brain looking for ways to cast a wider net. YouthMinistryIdeas.net is a site to help you do that, with ideas for all kinds of games, activities, and lessons to teach youth that stimulate them to think about things in a more spiritual manner. For instance, one of the games was a takeoff on the Top Chef show that led into a discussion of the difference between gourmet food and McDonalds and how Jesus wants us to develop a taste for spiritual gourmet food. That's just one idea. Another was a "Survivor" themed lock-in. But be forewarned: while there is much free content on the site, the Survivor lock-in costs $10. On the right hand side of the page, near the bottom (unfortunately) you'll find a list of topics so that you can get at just what you're looking for.
Cool Gadget: Samsung W200 Digital Camcorder: Ok, this week's gadget is on my wish list. Cisco bought then killed the Flip pocket video camera. Well, if you're still in the market for such a thing Samsung's got your back with a $160 Full HD waterproof (to 3 meters) pocket-sized video camera. Now, a lot of folks have smartphones, and I probably should be salivating over one of those instead... but they are expensive and if it's raining, I wouldn’t want to risk tearing it up. Something else, the coating that keeps it waterproof also keeps condensation from forming on the viewfinder screen. The camera has excellent low-light performance, and has a 5-megapixel sensor, and can shoot up to 1080p at 30 frames per second. It doesn't have any internal memory, but does have an SD-Card slot and you can record across SD-Cards. The battery only holds a 2-hour charge, and it has an HDMI connector, and a USB connector to transfer video files.
It's All "Geek" To Me: Hypertext: This week's term is part of something we use all the time, but may not know: Hypertext. Hypertext is the word behind the HT in HTTP that you see in your web browser's address bar. Hypertext was originally an idea to make it possible to read articles and then by clicking words in the article, read another article related to the one you started from. So, you'd be reading an article on space, and when you run across the term solar system, you might click it and see an article on the solar system. In that article, you might see the planet Saturn and, clicking it, get more information about Saturn, and then when you see the word vehicle, you could click it and find out about Saturn Automobiles. You get the idea. You click links to see new articles. The most common expression of Hypertext is the World Wide Web, but earlier programs like Apple's HyperCard and others pioneered the concept of hypertext.
