For the past five and a half years, my goal has been to stay on top of tech news and bring the best selected content to the Slashdotreview / SDR News audience.  It's time to move to a new level, both personally and technically.

This is the SDR Newsroom - The event, product and personal news coverage channel for SDRNews, with technology, business, regulation products or services that might be on the SDRNewsroom list. Here's the rundown:

• Who: I will continue as producer and host of SDRNews, adding guest hosts and interviews on topics related to stories in the news.
• What: The format will be presented as a regular video podcast, and include a weekly summary of links and pointers to significant stories of the week. There will be an audio version of the show distributed as well.
• When: Beginning now, (as I travel to the National Association of Broadcasters show (NAB) in Las Vegas).
• Where: SDRNews.com, Techpodcasts.tv, SDRNewsroom.com and lots of other places.

Why: Since the show began, there has been an explosion of news sources for tech news. Starting in 2004 with Slashdot, adding Digg and Reddit, and eventually moved  about 70 RSS feeds that served as sources for the show. At the same time, listeners became aware of services like Google Alerts, PopUrls, and automated RSS readers with speech synthesis. Those with in-depth interests could set up custom RSS feeds, and those with general interests have scores of outlets that they can select from.

The recent listener survey confirmed the obvious that if I made major changes to the business model (continuing the original format) and going to a paid service, that listeners would simply meet their needs elsewhere. SDRNews is continuing the advertiser supported model but changing the format and content to identify Selected, in Depth Reports that are not available elsewhere - still within the content outlines that have met the needs of the audience: Technology, Business and Regulation.

I believe that there is a major shift in consumption patterns on the horizon: The proliferation of platforms such as the iPad, Roku, Boxee, WePad, and Chrome OS - in addition to the iPhone, Android and others make video a crucial part of the mix.  At the same time, I will continue to provide audio versions of the programming, since many in the audience fit SDRNews into a driving commute or exercise regimen where video is not practical.

This week, there will be NAB coverage. I know that I have benefited from great support from listeners for many years, and and confident that it will continue.

I'm excited at the opportunity, and welcome your comments, support, and suggestions.

YBR Perspective: First Moments with the A63

In evaluating the Lenovo package, I put the following not-so-unreasonable small business scenario into play: 

What if this package had been drop-shipped to your office? You and your consulting partner are traveling, and the office is being held down by the most essential employee, the Young Bright Receptionist (YBR) . The YBR has the task of connecting the A63 and getting it to the point of productive, on line computing tasks.   Work with me on this one.  Bright Receptionists come in both genders and in not-so-young editions as well. I am talking about skill sets and attitudes. This person has grown up with computers, but is by no means interested in them any more than her generic Honda Civic. She is bright, and most importantly is not afraid to try pushing buttons or clicks to get things rolling.

The unpacking and set up of the unit and dual monitors goes well. The unit is surprisingly light, and the Lenovo Handle-Top case helps a lot in getting it settled in.  There was a little stumbling on white plug and blue plugs to the dual monitors, but plug everything into a likely spot and it looks right. The LAN cable that goes to the closet that was in the old unit snaps in, and she hooks in the speakers from the old tower machine, matching color to color on the plugs.

The first thing that Lenovo gets major credit for: This unit is quiet ! The four year old tower cast off machine that had been up front was a vacuum cleaner in training. And, there is enough standardization in the color coding that a novice can figure things out.

Now, the power up, accept Windows 7 Professional, and it looks good to go. The YBR does not realize these are the doors to the funhouse. More in Part 2.