WordPress has released version 3.2. This latest version with over 400 fixes or improvements is designed to run faster and lighter.

The team at WordPress starts you out with a new HTML 5 default theme called new Twenty Eleven. HTML 5 will help you run on mobile devices a lot easier. The updated editor nows allows you to chose the entire screen when in the edit mode, avoiding the clutter of the admin screen items.

The performance improvements are made possible by the new minimal requirement you run PHP 5.2.4 and MySQL 5.0. If your hosting company is running something less then you might want to contact them and see about bringing your hosting plan up to date.  If your host replies that they can’t update to these versions, it might be time to look for a host that is keeping up with technology, not to mention running a secure hosting platform.

With this new version folks using IE 6 or outdated web browsers will see a pop up function called Browse Happy. It will indicate your browser is out of date and recommend an upgrade path. In addition there is now the ability to have multiple rotating header images. All these fixes and improvements are an example of a healthy Open Source software community.

If you plan on upgrading your WordPress site be sure to back up your database and all your WordPress directories, subdirectories and related files. See the offical WordPress backup page at http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Backups

Need some help upgrading and or backing up your WordPress site?

Contact Michael at (206) 217-0500 or use the contact form.

Now you can get your head in clouds at Amazon and or Microsoft  for free. As with anything labeled as free be sure to read the fine print and ask questions of the organization providing those free services.

Amazon is offering new customers a free Amazon EC2 Micro Instance for a year using their Amazon Web Services (AWS). http://aws.amazon.com/free/.

Microsoft is offering new customers an Extra Small Windows Azure instance free through September 30th, 2011 using their Windows Azure service. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsazure/free-trial/

The best way to try out these services is to have a task/project you want to complete. Typically this will be a basic web site. Amazon provides both Linux and Windows services whereas Microsoft is strictly Windows. If you plan on using Open Source software like WordPress or Drupal I suggest using Amazon Linux based servers which run Open Source without the extra tweaking required with Windows. On the other hand if you need to use ASP.Net and or MS SQL, then go with Azure.

Be smart – As soon as you get something setup be sure to know how to check the resources you have used to avoid going over the limits of the free services and paying for over limit charges.

Be really smart – Once you get up always include in your long term plans some form of web site/server and database backup in the event there is a major outage. Both companies will warn you they are not perfect. The recent Amazon Cloud crash exposed those companies who were not smart in their deployment. If you are serious about running a business always have some Business Continuity Plan.

The cloud is here to stay. With the announcement of Apple's iCloud service you can see the big players are there. Expect to see a lot businesses moving a lot of data and services to the cloud. Play now free with AWS and or Azure to keep up. Avoid being that deer in the headlights when something bad happens to your cloud presence. Have a backup plan. Then be sure to test the backup plan.

• Create Online – The easiest way to create a favicon is to Google the keyword "favicon" and check out the numerous sites that help you to create your own favicon.
   
• Create using Photoshop or Illustrator – Telegraphics provides a free plugin for PhotoShop and Illustrator users.
   
• Normally the favicon is a small 16 pixels by 16 pixels square but can be 32×32 or 64×64 pixels. The smaller size is usually chosen since larger files add to the time to display a web page.
   
• It is sometimes easier to start with a working image that is 64×64 pixels and then reduce it to the final size of 16×16.
   
• Install – This file is placed either in the root directory of the web site or the content management system. A line of code is placed within the headers of the web site to let the browser know the file name and location of the icon. Example: <link rel="shortcut icon" href="http://example.com/myicon.ico" /> Some browsers like to see <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon">. Using both will not hurt. Although you have the ability to name the file anything you want keep in mind Internet Explore requires the file name to be favicon.ico.
   
• Testing – Once the image is installed you typically will want to tweak the look of it. Since most browsers will cache the image be sure to remember to flush the browser cache to see your updates.
   

Need someone to create a favicon for you for less than $50?
Contact Michael at (206) 217-0500 or use the contact form.

Contour has just released an iPhone mobile app, Connect View, that allows the user, via Bluetooth, to view and configure their latest video cam, Contour GPS. You can find a short video here to see the Connect View in action. A Droid app is expected to be released soon.

I recently purchased one to capture my personal adventures away from my Internet job. Contour, one of the sleekest light weight cams around, can mounted just about anywhere. A visit to their web site story section will reveal the different ways people use the cam. Most common use right now, at this time of the year, is the skiers and snow boarders. During the rest of the year you will see the cam mounted and used in just about any action sport. Mountain bike riding, surfing, motorcycles, planes, skydiving, kites etc. They sell, at reasonable prices, all sorts of different mounts to attach the cam to just about any location/surface. A quick out-in-the-field accessory is a roll of duct tape.

My favorites are the windshield and helmet mounts to create videos capturing getting there and the fun at the destination. A bike mount is next on my purchase list for upcoming drier times in Seattle. For the people who like wet, they even have a waterproof cam housing that allows filming underwater, down to 33 feet, with their previous model that does not have GPS. A GPS version is due out soon. Some student is Spain even put the cam in a case, attached it to a balloon and sent it up to the edge of space.  Check out the story here.

Here are the different modes you can set the camera to record:

• Full HD 1080p (1920 x1080 @ 30 fps) to capture those awesome moments in the highest resolution available.
• Tall HD 960p (1280 x 960 @ 30fps) for those sports like surfing that are better suited to a taller image.
• Action HD 720p (1280 x 720 @ 60 fps) when frame rate is more important than resolution. The perfect setting to capture the fastest action. It reduces blur and rolling shutter effect.
• Contour 720p (1280 x 720 @30 fps). When space on your card is at a premium and you need to record that last epic adventure. This setting takes it easy on your memory.
• Still Photo. When you want to freeze frame the action, the photo mode is your perfect shot. You can pick from 5 rates (3, 5, 10, 30, or 60 sec) to best capture that moment.

The action is captured on low cost MicroSD cards and powered by a rechargeable battery. The battery life is dictated by the mode you are using. High definition uses more juice. Cold is a killer of all batteries so you always want to carry a spare battery or two during the winter.

For those adventurers who like to map out their trips the on board GPS records your location along with the video. Once you get home you plug in the camera via USB to your computer where you use Contour Storyteller software to pull the video off the camera, edit, configure and or update. Storyteller is also gateway to load your videos up to the Contour site to share your adventure with other enthusiasts. Being an open system you can also edit the MOV files using most video editing software and later upload to YouTube or burn to DVDs.

My experience with Contour support is excellent with quick no bs responses. The folks at Contour are connected to their customers and always striving to tweak their products to a better experience. Since they are on the cutting edge of technology expect new issues to be discovered, evaluated and resolved with the customer needs driving the staff at Contour.

I see the Contour as my MacGyver tool,  whose application is only limited by my imagination. With the advent of everyone recording their lives and adventures on video this is a camera to be checked out. Local stores in Seattle that carry Contour can be seen here. Oh yeah the Contour folks are another amazing Northwest success story based in Seattle. Let me know if you buy one, need some help or want to collaborate on a video.