Geek - Childrens Ministry Online

The Orange Conference App

Hey, check it out. Orange just released a new app just in time for the Conference a little less than 2 weeks away. It does exactly what you want in a conference app.

Schedule and Map

Probably the two most important parts of an app. What breakout are happening and where can I find them. The app gives you a macro level view of the entire campus and then a micro level of each building. No more fumbling for paper maps and schedules. You’ll look like a pro as you navigate your way around Orange with your iPhone.

Oh, and what could be even cooler than this? Log in and all the breakouts you already signed up for show up. Change your mind and you want to attend another breakout? You can do it right there in the app. Make the change and it updates your account with Orange. Awesome!

Speaker bios and Live Streaming

Want to know more about that guy who is leading the breakout that is so freaking awesome? There’s a great section where you can find those speakers, read their bio and then send them a tweet or visit their blog.

Lastly, there’s a section for live streaming. Let’s be real, if you’re at Orange, what’s the point of live streaming… and we know how stellar internet performance is when there are 5000 people all tweeting, facebooking and instagraming at the event, but if you’re not at Orange… how perfect is this?

Last but not least

You Android or Windows Phone users aren’t going to be happy. This is an iPhone only app. Sorry. 🙁

Download the app here!

Google Fiber: This make me very, very, very happy

Geek, Random | 0

It was recently announced that Austin, TX is going to get Google Fiber. Yes, Google Fiber!

Most of you are probably asking, what the heck is Google Fiber. You can read the wiki page here.

Essentially, Google Fiber is an experimental broadband network that will offer internet at a rate of 100 times faster than what most people have coming into their house. 100 times faster, that’s crazy!

Over a year ago, Google announced a competition with more than 1000 cities of who was going to get it first. Well, Kansas City, KS is on the top of the list, followed by Austin, TX. As of now, Google hasn’t revealed plans to bring fiber anywhere else.

This article explains why Google may not bring it anywhere else. The thought is that Google has no intention of getting into the broadband delivery market, but by doing this experiment, it pushes the other internet providers to innovate and compete. Essentially, Google wants everyone to have faster internt. The faster interent we have, the more YouTube videos we watch, the more ads we see and the more money Google makes.

Google will be offering 3 options for internet:

Free broadband
A 1 Gigabit up and 1 Gigabit down plan for $70
A 1 Gigabit up and 1 Gigabit down plan that includes TV for $120

Not too shabby. There’s no guarantee that Google Fiber will come to my neighborhood, but I’ve got my fingers crossed.

I liked this Q & A answer on the Google Fiber page:

Question: Why is Google Fiber coming to Austin?

Answer: Austin is known globally as a mecca for creative and entrepreneurial people, including musicians, artists, tech companies, and the University of Texas and its new medical research hospital to name a few. High-speed ubiquitous connectivity can make an immediate impact on the work of all of these groups. When we were originally choosing where to bring Fiber in 2010, Austin had one of the most enthusiastic responses. Austin city leaders have worked hard to make this possible, and we’re excited to be here.

I love this town for so many reason, here’s to one more!

Address Lookup using Google Maps

Geek | 0

Ever needed to lookup an address but didn’t know how? Maybe you knew exactly where a particular location was (like on a map), but there wasn’t any way to find out the house number except by driving by or making phone calls. Well, if you’ve ever found yourself in this position, check out this mashup of Google Maps.

I don’t know the name of the service as it isn’t really posted. Just go to the link and start using. The creator of this mashup links to a tech blog (not sure if it is theirs or not) with all kinds of other useful tech tricks and tips as well.

YouTube reveals it’s true purpose!

Geek, Ideas | 0

So, you thought that YouTube existed as a video sharing site? You were wrong! We all were! YouTube...

Two dangerous apps

Family, Geek | 1

I’m very involved in the student ministry at my church now and as a result, I’ve...

Microsoft Surface: Did I miss something?

Geek, Ideas | 2

Apparently Microsoft announced a new product called the surface recently. I was watching Hulu this weekend and saw a comercial for the Surface tablet and I did an immediate double-take. What? I’ll admit, I was immediately disappointed.

Why? Because more than 5 years ago, Microsoft announced a product they had developed called Surface. I wrote about it here. Below is a video.

Yes, the video above looks like the future, right? Apparently, they only made a handful of these tabletop computers which made their way to high end hotels and such. I never saw one personally. Instead, Microsoft launches a new product last week called the surface, and it didn’t look like the future.

Holy Kow! Kidmin Starts Tomorrow!

Geek, Ideas | 1

Technically, it starts on Friday, but I travel to Chicago tomorrow. This is my second year to be involved in Group’s Kidmin Conference and this is Group’s second year to host the event.

Kidmin has a special place in my heart for two reasons.

Group was kind enough to invite me to dream with them about a new kidmin specific conference. Over two years ago, a dozen of us gathered in CO to talk about what the Kidmin Conference would be like. It was just really cool to be invited into that process… I still feel honored.
The Kidmin Conference defied my expectations last year. I honestly didn’t know fully what to expect. Kidmin is different with a very different approach to conferences. It’s more than just breakouts and keynotes. There his a HUGE relational component. Going into last year, I just didn’t know what to expect. I was afraid it might feel forced or less than authentic… and I was so wrong. It was beautiful.

For my fellow bloggers: Feedburner concerns

Geek, Random | 2

I just realized this weekend that all my feed subscribers seem to have disappeared. Not sure what that is about. Looks like it’s been like this for almost a week. Since it’s been a week since I’ve posted on this site, I’m not even sure if the service is working or not… like delivering feeds. I’m not super concerned, as there have been days in the past where the feed has shown zero, but this is a little longer than ever before.

I started doing a little investigation and found a few things.

iPad Check-In

Geek, Ideas | 18

Two years ago, we experimented with using iPad for check-in. It worked well, but it didn’t...

App of the Week: Soocial

Geek, Ideas | 1

Okay, it’s not really an app. It’s a service… but it’s pretty cool.

I don’t know if you are like me, but I have multiple email account synced to my phone. Four to be exact. Now that I live in the smart phone era of the 21st century, I host all my contacts though my gmail account. No more contacts living only on my phone so that when the phone dies or I get a new phone, I have to worry about contacts that are on my phone. However, I have four gmail/google apps account synced to my phone. There have been times when I’m on my phone and I can’t find one of my contacts. I know I have their email address, but its not in my phone contacts? Why, because my contacts with my phone syncs to the contacts of one of my gmail accounts, but the contact I want is in the contacts of another google account. Frustrating!