Well today is finally the day fans of the iPhone have been waiting for…….launch day. Although some people have been waiting in line for several days, last night seemed to be when that tactic really went into motion and several people even have live feeds of themselves waiting in line.

Rumors are still all over the place concerning how many iPhones will actually be available. Some put the numbers as high as 500 units per store, but no solid evidence has come forth to confirm this. Regardless of the supposed numbers, the turnout will be high for people wanting to purchase the iPhone no doubt.

I have not yet decided on whether to purchase one. It’s a new gadget so obviously I want one, but part of me says I should wait until version 2. I am also still hoping for a last minute “price drop” announcement, although that is quite unlikely. So are any of you going to purchase, or are you in line now for one?

Tags: iphone, apple, at&t

One of the most asked questions of the iPhone recently is……”how much are the plans going to cost?” Well today Apple and AT&T announce what they call “simple, affordable plans” for the iPhone.

“We want to make choosing a service plan simple and easy, so every plan includes unlimited data with direct Internet access, along with Visual Voicemail and a host of other goodies,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We think these three plans give customers the flexibility to experience all of iPhone’s revolutionary features at affordable and competitive prices.”

The plans are as follows:

All iPhone monthly service plans are available for individuals and families and are based on a new two-year service agreement with AT&T. Individual plans are priced at

• $59.99 for 450 minutes
• $79.99 for 900 minutes
• $99.99 for 1,350 minutes

All plans include unlimited data, Visual Voicemail, 200 SMS text messages, roll over minutes and unlimited mobile-to-mobile and a one-time activation fee of $36. Family plans are also available.

Well I have to say the plans are not all that bad. Much less than what I expected, so the iPhone is just a little more tempting today.

• Link 

Tags: apple, iphone, at&t, phone

Apple released an update to the Safari beta for both PC and Mac users.

Changes in Safari 3.0.2 for Windows beta:

• Latest security updates
• Improved stability
• Fixes for text display, non-English systems, and start-up times

Changes in Safari 3.0.2 for Mac OS X beta:

• Latest security updates
• Improved stability
• Improved WebKit support for Mail, iChat and Dashboard

I downloaded the first beta on my Vista machine, but I have only used it a few times. I haven’t even bothered to download the beta for OS X yet either. On OS X I go back and forth on browsers, some days I use Safari and some I will use Firefox. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, but I find myself going back to Safari more and mor, so I suppose I should take a shot at this beta on that platform.

It’s still too early to say if I will have that feeling on Windows as well, but for the time being Firefox is my default browser on Vista. I will download the latest Safari beta and keep an eye on its progress though.

Have you used the Safari beta, and if so, what are your impressions so far?

• Safari beta

Tags: apple, safari, browsers, windows, vista

Booting into Vista I noticed an update was available, and no it wasn’t another security update.  It appears Microsoft is preparing the ability to update Windows Live Messenger through Windows update.  This WLM update doesn’t actually change anything in WLM, it does appear to test and prepare for future distribution.

The description of the update is: “This update is being used to test how Microsoft Updates are distributed for Windows Live Messenger. While there are no actual changes to Messenger at this time, it’s important for Messenger Beta testers to receive this update. Thanks for helping test Messenger!”

Tags: windows live, live messenger, vista, xp, microsoft

The public beta for TweakVista has been released. TweakVista is an application that allows users to optimize the performance and behavior of Windows Vista. It allows non-technical users to optimize Vista, while having more advanced controls for more technical users.

Some of the features include:

• Security handling
• Memory optimization
• Resource control
• Performance assessments

The final version will have a free version as well as a premium version with additional functionality. You can read more about TweakVista and get your free download from the TweakVista home page.

Tags: tweakvista, vista, microsoft, windows, stardock

Opera has been sending out teaser e-mails for the past week or two, and today is the day that the beta of Opera Mini 4 arrives. Some of the new features listed are:

• dynamically changes the size of text and images to make it convenient to read
• virtual mouse to make it easy to scroll in any direction
• faster scrolling using the keypad
• includes some CSS support

I went to try it this morning, but it appears it’s not compatible with my Motorola Q. For more information on phone support visit the Opera Mini 4 web site.

To download from your phone, go to: mini.opera.com/download

Tags: opera, opera mini, browsers, smartphone

One of the new features of Vista is the Windows Sidebar, which is the pane on the side of your desktop that contains gadgets. Gadgets are mini-applications that reside on the Sidebar and can display information such as the weather, a mini-photo gallery, or your favorite RSS feeds.

The latest beta of DesktopX 3.5 will now allow the creation of Windows Sidebar Gadgets. DesktopX supports VB Script, Javascript, etc., but you can easily create simple Sidebar Gadgets with minimal effort. The latest beta is only available to subscribers of Object Desktop, and the final version should be released near the end of summer.

There is a quick demo on WinCustomize.com that shows how to make a basic shortcut object that you can export as a Vista Sidebar Gadget. I think I might just take some time tonight to see what kind of gadget I can come up with.

• Creating a Vista Sidebar Gadget with DesktopX

Tags: vista, sidebar gadgets, desktopx, stardock

Multiplicity is an application that I just can’t seem to work without. In my home office I have two widescreen monitors each hooked to its own computer. Having two sets of keyboard/mice just isn’t practical, so the best solution is to use one set for both PCs - that is where Multiplicity comes in.

It allows you to control both PCs with just one mouse and keyboard, and even has features such as a universal keyboard. The Pro version has support for more than two computers, and has file/folder copying.

Windows Vista is supported.

A free trial is available, so be sure to download and check it out yourself.

Tags: multiplicity, stardock, kvm, vista, software

Martial Arts training is a great way for your child (and yourself) to gain better health both physically and mentally. Your child can learn other benefits such as discipline, self-control, and learning how to defend themselves. Choosing the right school is very important, and parents should take the time to research the schools beforehand.

The teaching of Martial Arts has turned into a multi-million dollar business here in the United States, and parents must be aware of what they are getting themselves into before having your child start his or her training.

Unfortunately in Florida and many other states, Martial Arts schools fall into a loophole when it comes to regulation. Most do not “technically” fall into the designation as a day care, so laws that are designed to protect children are not applicable to Martial Arts schools. This puts more responsibility on the parent/adults to make sure the school they choose is at the highest standards.

I would like to point out a few areas you should look for and be wary of when choosing a Martial Arts school.

• Never sign a membership contract without first learning the details of it. Martial Arts schools will commonly use outside billing services to take of the billing process. Now this in itself is a good way for schools to manage their student’s financial payments. However, this is also a tactic to lock you into a contract.

• These contracts which are often referred to as “membership agreements” are often very difficult to get out of. Most want you sign up for a minimum of a one year term, but I have seen them go as high as five years. Some of these contracts offer no way to get out even in situations where you would have to move out of state. I do not advise ever signing one of these contracts, but if you must, make sure there are provisions that are clear on how you may leave the contract without further payments. If they instructor/salesperson refuses to do this, then walk out. There are always other alternatives.

• Make sure the employees and instructors have background checks. In this day of people preying on children, it is vitally important that anyone who works around children has a proper background check. This is part of the loophole I mentioned before that Martial Arts schools are not required to perform background checks. Make sure you ask to see the background records of the people who will be in contact with your child.

• Always take a trial lesson. Any reputable school should offer a trial lesson at no charge. If they are confident in their training, then you should not have to pay for a trial lesson. While attending a trial lesson, you the parent should take the time to inspect the school. Does it look like a safe environment for your child to train in? Is the facility well maintained and clean? These are things you should look for where evaluating a school. If there are other parents there feel free to ask them questions on what they think of the school.

Martial Arts is a great activity for your child, but since Martial Arts has become a growing industry, you have to take the steps to ensure the safety of your child. The best weapon you can use is knowledge. Use the Internet to look up reviews of schools, and to research the type of Martial Arts the school offers.

Keep this in mind as you search and evaluate schools for your children. It can and will make all the difference.

Tags: martial arts

The best way to change your Windows logon screen on XP was to use LogonStudio, now you change the Vista logon screen with LogonStudio Vista. Not only does it make it easy to apply a new logon screen, it’s just as simple to create a new logon that you can use for yourself, or share with the community.

Creating a new logon is as simple as dragging your favorite wallpaper or image into the configuration window, entering a name for your logon, and clicking save. There are hundreds of logons already available for download at sites such as WinCustomize.

For more information and download links (including XP version) check the LogonStudio website.

• LogonStudio Vista

Tags: logonstudio, vista, stardock, xp