It may be, but there was a bug in the latest install of my Google AdWords editor (version 7.5.1).

The problem was that every menu option had an ampersand preceding, so I was presented with the following menu:

&File |  &Edit |  &Data | &Account | &Tools | &Help

And nothing I clicked on did anything.

After restarting, reinstalling, still no joy, I then un-installed and downloaded & installed the latest version of the US Google AdWords Editor, and that did the trick.

So maybe it’s just me, or maybe it’s the British (GB) version of AdWords Editor, but if you have the same problem, now you know how to get around it.

It’s an intelligent playlist that will offer you music in a similar style to the song you are listening to, much like Pandora and Last.FM do.  It also offers similar music in the iTunes store… so it’s a nice feature for you and a great cross sell for iTunes!

I’m gutted I’ll miss this one as I’m away at the time, but I would encourage anyone in the area to go.  They’re always interesting events with nice people in a related line of work/study.

The party starts in Bar Ça on 8th October, and you can get tickets from the Manchester Digital Site.

I can check my emails, create Office documents, play games, browse the Internet, listen to music, take photos and upload them straight to Flickr.

Oh yes, I can phone people on it too.

It’s an inevitable step, but I’m still impressed with these two tiny computers. They are ultra mobile, you could carry it in your handbag or a large pocket, and they have performance and functionality that really compares to a PC.

The OQO model 02:

And the budget, lower spec version – The Asus EEE:

A well known assertion is that computer technology is getting cheaper and smaller as time progresses. Moore’s Law states that technology is improving exponentially. The law can be applied to processing speed, memory capacity and resolution of digital cameras.

Although I would agree that the power and capabilities are improving exponentially, I feel that ergonomics will dictate how small things can go. I expect technology to keep shrinking, become more powerful and relatively lighter. But screens still need to be large enough to comfortably read text and watch video. Input devices such as keyboards and mice need to be big enough to control and type accurately.

Touch screens, and laptop touch pads are great for mobile use, but the accuracy and usability of these tools still don’t compare to a traditional keyboard and mouse in my opinion.

Laptops are becoming the first choice for home computing, because they have become powerful enough and cost effective. They save space and allow computer access in the living room, garden and away from home. But some people still like the traditional desktop.

Although I love my phone, and it has the capability to do great things, the size of it means it’s slower and a bit more awkward to use for a lot of the tasks it boasts about. I couldn’t imagine creating a long document in Word for example.

I don’t generally go in for gender specific events, as I’m sure an all boys meeting would cause some industry bra burning, but I was invited by one of the organisers, Valerie De Leonibus, who is one of the founders of i2m Online Business, so I figured a night of food, drink and geek chatting couldn’t hurt too much.

I was surprised by the similar stories though, much the same as I’ve experienced. A lot of women I spoke to were the only one, or amongst a small minority on a technology course or in a techie job.

Much of the geek stereotypes hold true, but there are obviously exceptions. They showed this video… I love the IT crowd.

You can find out more about Manchester Geek Girl Dinners here.

And whilst looking to order a replacement; the first website to appear in the list was Blender.org.

Blender is a 3D open source modelling program with some great features and fab examples of images created using the tool.

If you’re interested in design, you’ll probably be aware of the high prices for 3D software programs such as 3D Studio MAX, Maya and Cinema 4D.

So it’s nice to know there’s an alternative for people to practice with

I’ve not tried it myself yet, but I’d be interested to hear if you’ve used it, or have any alternatives that you prefer (and why).

(Examples are by Calvin Culy and Robert J. Tiess).