chuck.latournous.com » Journalism

AT&T’s new data plan on The Mac Jury

Chuck La Tournous — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:46:47 +0000

I’m on the panel of the latest MacJury podcast, where we discussed AT&T’s new cellular data plans, which effectively end “unlimited” data and introduce tethering for iPhones. I was surprised by just how much there was to say about what on face value seemed a pretty simple story. The conversation was helped by having an excellent panel including Jeff Gamet, Pat Fauquet, Keith Langdon and Michael Johnston. Of course, Host Chuck Joiner once again ably moderated our lively little group. The podcast can be streamed or downloaded from the episode’s page on the MacJury website.

MacJury Live at Macworld 2010 video now available

Chuck La Tournous — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:41:29 +0000

I got to meet my fellow MacJurors face-to-face at Macworld San Francisco 2010 for a live version of the MacJury podcast. Host Chuck Joiner and our panel recorded the session live on the floor of the Moscone Center — in the Music Theater stage, to be more specific — in front of a live audience. The panel consisted of Tanya Engst, from TidBITS and TakeControl Books, Ted Landau from Macworld and The Mac Observer, Jeff Gamet from The Mac Observer and the Design Weekly Podcast and yours truly. The audience was super, the conversation lively and it was a typically fun session. Thanks to all who attended and for Chuck for putting it together. The session — in all its video glory — is now available on the MacVoices.tv website.

Social Media from a corporate perspective on MacVoices

Chuck La Tournous — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:01:51 +0000

At New Media Expo in Las Vegas last month, I joined Chuck Joiner for a discussion of Social Media and its implications for corporations. We discussed whether or not corporations “get” Tweeting, blogging and other aspects of Social Media and whether it’s too late for those who don’t. As always, it was a lively and (I hope) interesting conversation. My apologies in advance for the fact that it’s a video interview.

You can watch the interview here or on Chuck’s MacVoices website.

iPhone article on The MacObserver

Chuck La Tournous — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:08:57 +0000

My wonderful family gave me a new iPhone 3GS for Father’s Day this year. It’s an amazing device that has enough improvements in speed and new features that it feels like as big a game-changer to me as the original iPhone. I wrote a short piece for The Mac Observer that explains why I thought this was a very compelling upgrade—at least for someone who had skipped the last one. The article is now available on The MacObserver. If you feel so inclined, please leave a nice comment.

The road to global warming is paved with good intentions

Chuck La Tournous — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:40:43 +0000

Image courtesy of EcoVillageGreen.com

My biggest problem with “Go Green” initiatives (and the plain ol’ “environmentally friendly” ones before them) is that well-intentioned people jump on them without considering their impact because no one wants to be seen as hurting the environment.

We’ve all heard stories about how the environmental impact of recycling material can be greater than properly disposing of it, or how the manufacturing process of electric or hybrid cars can do more harm to the environment than their benefit can offset.

Here’s another one to add to your list: Compact fluorescent light bulbs. You know, the kind that replace the old-fashioned incandescent kind. A recent New York Times article suggests that the bulbs may not be ready for prime time and may not even be as green as the hype would suggest. Problems in manufacturing mean many of the bulbs don’t deliver on their performance promises. Limitations in the technology mean the bulbs are poorly suited for many common household uses. They could even be dangerous: Since the bulbs take up to a minute or more to reach full brightness, they could pose a tripping hazard and lead to injuries. And perhaps worst of all, the bulbs contain dangerous chemicals and are supposed to be disposed of only at special centers, not in regular household trash–a practice many consumers are ignoring, and which could more than offset any environmental benefit if people have to drive long distances to bring the burnt-out bulbs where they can be safely disposed of.

There’s more information in the full Times article, which can be read here. (Free registration may be required.)

Happy Birthday, ‘Elements of Style’

Chuck La Tournous — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:40:26 +0000

Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style turned 50 the other day. It and The AP Stylebook have always been indispensible tools in my writing. I always get a kick out of the fact that such an authoritative work of scholarship was co-written by the guy who gave us Charlotte’s Web.