Merlins Tower

Google Update: Gmail Custom Time

Posted on April 1st, 2008 by Merlin.
Categories: Email, Google, Human, Life, Office, Web Service.

Google today announced a brand new feature to Gmail - You have got to love this new feature. It is called the GMAIL Custom Timeâ„¢

Ever wish you could go back in time and send that crucial email that could have changed everything — if only it hadn’t slipped your mind? Gmail can now help you wiht those missed deadlines, missed birthdays and missed Opportunities.

Yes there are web services that will send you and email dated in the future- but now you can back date an email and make it look like it came from the past. Blame Technology - Hey it was the computer that didn’t send it right away and look at the date it was sent. You should have had it by now.

But you have to make this messages count - As you can only do this 10 times in a calendar year.

So the next time you forgot your girlfriends birthday or you forgot to send a report to your boss and you need to have it look like it came from the past. Here is your chance to make it work.

See the screen shot below to see what I am talking about.

Great Job Google - Keep the improvements coming.

Merlin and Have a Great Day 4-1

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TAGS: April Fools Googles Big Joke

0 comments.

What is Twitter?

Posted on March 9th, 2008 by Merlin.
Categories: Cell Phone, Communication, Freeware, Gadgets, Human, Video, Web Service, YouTube.

What is Twitter you ask - I mentioned it in a earlier blog and got a question to explain it - Well, instead of re-inventing the wheel I will post the video from CommonCraft - Who did the earlier video about what is a blog.

So, now start following your friends 140 Characters at a time.

Technorati Tags: twitter, tweet, twittering, mini, blog, personal, people, comunication, common, craft, video, youtube

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Things that Are not there Anymore!!!

Posted on March 9th, 2008 by Merlin.
Categories: Communication, Gadgets, Hack, Human, Pittsburgh.

I was playing around on Twitter today and found this great tool for twitter called TerraMinds - It allows you to search for a topic you want to see if anyone wrote about. I did a search on there for Pittsburgh and found some interesting articles. But I was lead to LyriqueTragedy and her web blog - DawnPapuga.com - And she wrote about Things that were not there anymore and specifically to Pittsburgh - But there are the general topics as well - Such as the handwritten note - to quote her on this:

There’s something magical about handwritten letters. To receive a handwritten letter from someone is a gift.

Boy isn’t that so true - I think this leads me to why I love to use my fountain pens and write things down instead of using a computer for everything.

Yes, Email is much faster. But, receiving a letter from a friend that was written down is way more personal.

They actually took the time to sit down at a desk, pull out a piece of paper, select a pen, and put their words in ink on paper. This truly is Magical.

Something that used to be taken for granted has been over taken by email, voicemail, faxing, (All things Digital) - Trust me - I love digital devices more then the next person but… There has to be a time and a place to sit down and write your friend a letter just because…. I know I would really enjoy getting a letter in the mail from a friend - Much more then I would like reading that same letter in email form. Yes, even the same words seem more powerful when put in ink on paper and not just represented on the screen in ones and zeros.

Well this is just my little push to go out and write a letter to someone that cares. And see what happens. You really don’t need to have a fancy pen, fancy paper or anything fancy at all. Just pull out a sheet of white paper from your printer and grab that bic pen that you have been chewing one and just write it down. Nice to write your thoughts down - when you have to think about them first and not have the backspace key at your beck and call. Now you don’t have to pre-think the whole letter but just think about the current sentence you are writing and just write what comes from your heart. I am pretty sure whom ever you are writing will be surprised and will love what ever you write no matter what.

Well now you need to send it to them - I know I don’t have any blank envelopes on hand so here you can make your own. - DIY - Fold Your Own Envelope.

But now that you have it folded what about a stamp - Two things - There are many post offices that are open 24 hours and you can put your pocket change in and get a stamp feed out to you - or go to and purchase a few booklets of the Forever Stamp from the post office - Cost the same as a first class stamp does now $.41 but it doesn’t have a price on it and can be used anytime in the future for no additional postage due. Very Cool - Nows the time to buy in bulk and use them in 20 years. :-)

Merlin

Technorati Tags: Handwriting, letterwriting, writing, ink, paper, envelope, stamps, stamp, make, your, own, envelope, Hack, DIY, Free, love, fountain, pen, analog

2 comments.

FOOD FIGHT: Zing it at them!!!

Posted on February 24th, 2008 by Merlin.
Categories: Food, Human, Movies, Video, YouTube.

My friend Bart just sent this at a tweet in twitter and had to share this.

This would be a nice un-fair advantage to the average food fight. But I think I finally found a good use for Brussels Sprouts. “I have some Brussels Sproots here do you waant anee” (Said in a Scottish Accent or a bad Sean Connery) I would love to have MK saying this right now….

I could just see the kids having a blast with these. Load them up with some mashed potatoes and Zing Away. I could see more food wasted them actually eaten.

That remind me of one of my favorite movies - Animal House - From National Lampoon - Ahh the good old movies. Will have to get it from Unboxed and watch it on the way to work.

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And in the mean time here is a clip I found on Youtube.

Technorati Tags: Food, Fight, Food+Fight, Animal, House, animal+house, zing, twitter, tweet, idea, unbox,

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Happy New Year - Welcome 2008

Posted on January 1st, 2008 by Merlin.
Categories: Announcement, Health, Human, Life.

Thanks & Happy New Year!

As 2007 comes to a close and 2008 on its way in. I wanted to sincerely thank you all for reading Merlin’s Tower and making it one of your stops on the information superhighway. With so many viewers and readers here the blog keep growing each and every week. Don’t forget please keep telling your friends and family we are here in this little portion of the internet. I could not do it with out all of you. Plus if there is something you want me to look at or review - Please let me know (Send me an Email or Leave me a comment here) I love hearing all your suggestions and want to make 2008 an even better year then 2007.

Anyway, Thanks Again and have a Safe, Happy New Year.

daMerlin

Technorati Tags: Thanks, new, years, 2007, 2008, holidays, blog, merlin, merlins, tower, internet, comment, comments

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A look into our Future From 1958

Posted on December 23rd, 2007 by Merlin.
Categories: Communication, Gadgets, Human, Life, Travel, Video, YouTube.

Yes, you read the title correctly - a look at the future from 1958 - The following video will show what the people from 1958 Thought the future might look like. This clip just under 10 mins long is quite fascinating. I think it predicts the GPS, TV Rear View Mirrors, The Huge Highways Signs, and Traffic Warning Systems (hmm like the ones on some GPS Units)

Excerpt from Video Info: “An excerpt from the 1958 “Disneyland” TV Show episode entitled “Magic Highway USA”. In this last part of the show, an exploration into possible future Transportation technologies is made. It’s hard to believe how little we’ve accomplished on this front since 1958, and how limited the scope for imagining such future technologies has become. Witness an artifact from a time where the future was greeted with optimism. Note the striking animation style here, achieved with fairly limited animation and spectacular layouts.”

Technorati Tags: Disney, GPS, Travel, Traffic, Retro, TV, Helicopter, Rescue

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Chatting Online - The Good The Bad and The New

Posted on November 23rd, 2007 by Merlin.
Categories: Anything Else, Communication, Freeware, Human, Web Service.

I don’t know how many of you readers chat online - But I do every once in a while with several friends from across the wide Internet. Friends from High School, Friends from College, Friends that I have met along the way. Well Mostly I have used text chat programs - Well Meebo.com (Free online Chat Program  that connects you to all your friends) to be exact.

But, Recently one of my friends introduced me to 3d Chatting when we saw it on CSI. They were using Second Life.

But he stumbled upon a similar program that is much cheaper to user (FREE!!!) It is called IMVU - IMVU - I think spoken like ICQ.com (I MV U) is a really cool 3d Chat Client - You can have 3d Rooms that multiple people can chat in at one time, you can dress your 3d Avatar, fly, build rooms, build chat environments and much more.

I used this with several of my friends where we had a blast using the 3d environment to have some fun and play around in. Depending on the room, clothing you wear and what actions you bought (Yes you can buy things but Honest it really is free if you just use and play with the basics)  - You can add new life into your chats.

Since, this is free to use and chat with - I would recommend trying this out with a few friends - or perhaps meet a few new friends with the “Find Someone to Chat with Button” You will have a blast.

Merlin

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