Tech Exposures

Find the Google Search Term Keywords That Landed the Visitor on Your Website

I always wanted to know when displaying the webpage what search brought the user to this page.  You can always look at Google Analytics, or whatever statistics package you have on your server (Urchin, Webalizer, etc…), but that is after the fact.  So, I wrote a simple PHP script (all server-side) that gives you that information.

Code Example: Full script – Copy & Paste

referaltest.php

$referer= $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER'];

//find the search query from google that brought them here
$qref= strpos($referer,’google’);

if($qref!=”){
$qstart = strpos($referer,’q=’);
$qend = strpos($referer,’&’,$qstart);
$qtext= substr($referer,$qstart+2,$qend-$qstart-2);
$qtext= str_replace(‘+’,’ ‘,$qtext);
}
echo $qtext

It’s that simple… See below for more explanation and additional samples.

Step By Step Explanation of Script

$referer= $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER'];

Populate the PHP server variable that tells you the full path of the where the user came from.
Note: This field can be blank or incomplete depending on several factors on the user/searchbot’s server settings – but for the purposes of this script, we are just looking at this variable for specific information from Google.

$qref= strpos($referer,’google’);

Use PHP STRPOS() to find the needle in the haystack. In this case, we are looking for the term google in the referer field. Note, this PHP function is case sensitive, so make sure you stay with all small letters here. (And for other search engines, where the value is not lowercase, you must match that specifically as well).

$qstart = strpos($referer,’q=’);

Find the starting position of the “q=” term, which is where google tells you in this referer string what search term brought the visitor here.

$qend = strpos($referer,’&’,$qstart);

Find the ending of the search term – The & indicates the variable, so we’ll end it here.

$qtext= substr($referer,$qstart+2,$qend-$qstart-2);

strip the rest of the string, leaving us with the search term and with pluses in between.

$qtext= str_replace(‘+’,’ ‘,$qtext);

Remove the + characters that Google places between search terms

echo $qtext

Print out the Google Search that brought the visitor to this page. You can of course now put this variable into a session variable and use it throughout the session, or store it to a database for tracking searches in to your site, etc…

Likewise, you can use this technique for any search engine, such as Yahoo, Bing, etc… You just need to find the search term pattern and how it appears in the referer variable that the PHP Server variable returns.

Here’s the link to our RSS feed on Feedburner.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/TechExposures

Free and Legal Method for Acquiring a Reliable USA IP Address For Testing and Surfing While Outside the USA.

Q. You’re located outside the USA and need to test what your website looks like to your USA visitors.  What’s the easiest way to accomplish this for free an without pesky and unstable ip cloaks and expensive ip proxy address forwarders.

A. If you have a server already located in the USA, all you need to do is to connect via SSH to your server with a port tunnel and then configure your browser to access all non local internet connections through that port.

Step by Step Guide to SSH Tunnel:

1. Open your Linux terminal console (Putty on Windows, Telnet, etc…) and connect with SSH to your USA server by entering the following command

ssh -D9998 username@server-address

Once you’ve connected, you have opened port 9998 on your local computer to accept tunneled internet requests through your server in the USA.

2. Configure your browser to connect non-local internet through the tunneled port using the Winsocks protocol.  All browsers have this option – I’ll show you how to do it in Firefox, but the concept is similar for IE, Chrome, and other browsers.

A.  Edit Options in Firefox and select the Advanced tab.

Click on the Settings button under the Network : Connection

B.  The Connection Settings menu pops up

–>  Select the button “Manual Proxy Configuration”

–> In the Socks Host field enter  the ip address for your local connection  127.0.0.1

–> Then add the port number you chose in your SSH connection  (In our example, it was port 9998)

–>  Make sure the Socks v5 is selected, and that No Proxy for localhost is filled in.

–> Click OK and you’re good to go!

You can test your browser connection by going to a site that spits back your IP address like http://www.whatismyip.com

Now you can surf the net as if you are located at your server’s physical location.   Obviously, this tunnel will work for any location in the world.   I have servers in Europe and Asia, and I use this method to test what users there are seeing as well.

I have not tried watching shows on Hulu or the like, and I wouldn’t recommend that for this tunnel method, since you are passing data through your server – why slow it down with heavy streaming video files content?

Must Have Apps for February 2010
With over 200,000 active iPod and iPhone apps, there’s nearly an endless selection of tools and toys for every occasion. We’ve scoured the iPhone apps directories and tested many hundreds of tools. Here’s our top ten list of must-have iPhone apps for January 2010.

iPhone and iPad Suitable
We chose apps that are suitable and work well on both Apple iPhones and iPads. These apps will add to your iPhone experience, and are in addition to the great set of apps that Apple includes with your purchased device.

The apps listed here require you to have an iTunes account and you must download them from the Apps tool on your Apple device or from your PC or Mac’s iTunes.  Most of these apps are free.  The paid apps will include their cost in the description.

Top Ten Must Have iPhone iPod Apps

General News
1. NPR News – Free iTunes Download
National Public Radio is everywhere.  Thanks to this nifty app, you can listen to all NPR Radio stations live streaming from your iPhone.  You can also browse news stories by category and queue up your favorite programs on demand.  With this app, you can also save your favorite channels.  One of my favorite features it to click on a news story and select the audio playback of the story to be read to me.  NPR’s App is also integrated nicely with email to send to your favorite stories to your friends.  The written stories along with live streaming audio makes this a must-have for any news junky, or even if you just want to keep up with what’s happening.

2. NY Times – Free iTunes Download
New York Times Company has produced the gold standard for all iPhone apps.  The look and feel of this app is stylish with very easy to navigate buttons that take you to your selected categories.  The app updates with the latest news each time you launch the player.  The orientation of the news articles switch to landscape when you turn the device on its side.    This app also makes it easy to send articles to friends via email.  We’d like to see more content than just a few articles from today, but the overall experience is great.  Rumor has it that NY Times will begin charging to use this app in 2011.  Meanwhile, let’s all enjoy it for free.

Social Entertainment
3. Facebook – Free  iTunes Download
Facebook is on iPhones.  ‘Nuff said.  Truly, this is one of the great iPhones apps in ease of use and navigation.  Unlike the myriad of Twitter tools, this Facebook app was written by the folks at Facebook.  You’re getting the real thing here.  I guess if you’re a FB’er (which by now, most internet users are), you will want to download this app pronto with your new device.

Live Radio
4. CBS Radio App – Free  iTunes Download
This incredible free app includes dozens (over 100 at last count) of live CBS affiliate radio stations around the country.  It also includes Yahoo’s radio network, and AOL’s radio network too.  This app features a very simple to use browse tool to find your station.  You can choose by city & genre, and see your recent history.  You can even search for stations near you (provided that you allow Apple to announce your location.  The channels stream live and the broadcast quality is quite good.  I especially like choosing AOL stations by genre.  Sometimes I’m in the mood for a Bebop Jazz session, or maybe 1990’s Alternative Rock channel.  It’s all there, free, and easy to use.  This would easily be one of my first downloads on any new Apple device.   Download Link from iTunes

Communication
5. AIM Free  iTunes Download
AT&T had to think twice about this.  Would you still send SMS if you can chat for free with all your AIM buddies on iPhone?  Fortunately for us, this instant messenger works great on G3 and on Wi-Fi as well.  The app is a bit cumbersome at first, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly.   I do wish they had better support for emoticons, and the push tool (notification when you get an IM from someone while you aren’t actively in the app) is a bit hokey.  Still, the functionality is great, and you can’t beat the price!

Make Your Own Music
6. NLogFree  Free  iTunes Download
Friends, this is one of those you have to see it to believe it.  Download the free version of this app and you’ll be making New Age or synth-pop music in no time.  The staggering amount of preset sounds and ways to manipulate the music as you’re playing the keyboard is simply fantastic.  They offer a paid version as well – but why not try the free one first?

Sports
7. ESPN Sports Score Center  Free   iTunes Download
If you’re a sports junky like me, you’ll want the scores and news stories to all your favorite teams in the palm of your hands.  ESPN Score Center delivers, however, there are many other sports apps out there that do a good job as well.  I love ESPN, so I chose this app.  This interface is a bit off-putting at first.  Each sport is confined to its own screen.  If you don’ t  like the feel of this puppy, give a shake to USA Today’s news app, which includes an admirable sports and scores section as well.

Finance
8. CNBC RT (Real Time)  Free   iTunes Download
A gem of an app.  Imagine a mobile device giving you free real time quotes?  On top of the financial market center, of which CNBC is arguably the leader, they also offer a push alert service when breaking news happens.  There’s also a great selection of today’s top videos.  I enjoy watching the daily recap, and especially Jim Kramer’s Mad Money segments.  This is a must-have for any financially-savvy user.

Entertainment
9. Live Cams (Barry Egerter) Not Free  iTunes Download
Maybe it’s voyeristic, but there’s something so cool about watching live webcams from around the world streaming into your mobile device.   In an instant you are in Japan, Australia, and the grocery store in downtown Passaic, New Jersey.  This neat app offers a customizable screen by category or pulls up  random live webcams from around the world.  You see them in a grid of 12 on a screen.  By clicking on the little icon image (which itself is updating in real time), you are taken to a full screen view of the webcam.  What’s more, many of the webcams allow you to control the video by actually moving the camera angle, pitch, and zoom.  I really enjoyed moving around a camera on street scene in downtown Tokyo, and then manipulated a camera on Broadway and 46th street in Manhattan.  Loads of fun for a few dollars.  Highly recommended.

Online Books
10. Stanza  Free  iTunes Download
Who needs a kindle?  Well, maybe you do need one, but you have the iPhone or iPod for now.  This neat free tool allows you to download for free many dozens of online books, mostly of the classics, but also some useful how-to and programming manuals.  They also link in with major book sellers for purchasing an online version of your favorite current authors.

As we’ve already reported, Apple’s official announcement of the iPad to be released in a couple months, has sent shockwaves through the technology world. Steve Jobs and Apple have a history of being at the forefront of innovation in the technology industry.

A New Era – The iPad Era?
Could this new iPad foreshadow the shift in consumer migration and mix with telephony and media? Has Apple hit this one out of the park with a new concept for a new era? The reviews thus far have been mixed. Most industry pundits are cautious not to outright pan the device for fear of the boomerang should Apple prove again that it knows better.

Pricing
Jumping ahead of analyst pontifications, the iPad has been priced at a starting modest $499, well below the industry experts $999 expected price tag. The lower price will entice early adopters and gadgeteers to grab a device and show off to their friends. Apple is confident of two things – 1. Viral effect – Just like the iPod did a decade ago, the new iPad users will bring many more new iPad users – (sort of like a Faberge commercial from the 1970s). 2. At this price, one iPad won’t be enough. You can grab a couple for the members of your house.

Features
We’ve included on this website a handy cross reference chart to compare the iPad with the iPod and iPhone side by side. The features are similar, with the iPhone getting the nod with a camera and phone service. The question that begs to be asked, will users shell out 500 dollars or more for essentially a bigger iPod? The analogy that keeps coming to me is that somewhere in a parallel world, there are giants walking around with iPads that look like iPods in their large hands.

Where’s the compelling game-changer?
iPad vs. Amazon Kindle – Kindle already has an installed base. If Apple is challenging Amazon’s online reader, Amazon has the distribution channel to rival Apple’s iTunes. For the current users of Kindle, is there enough of a compelling reason to switch to the nicer looking (and larger) iPad? Will new buyers be willing to shell out a couple hundred more dollars (at minimum) for the iPad? Our bet – current Kindle users will stay with Amazon. New users will consider Apple’s iPad for it’s added browsing and larger screen.

iPad vs. iPod – Industry analysts are already talking about the possible cannibalization of the iPod Touch market over to iPad. From Apple’s perspective, that’s a $200 minimum jump in per unit sales. That’s not a bad thing. Are consumers really going to ditch their neat, put-in-your-shirt-pocket iPod with all the essentials – mp3, video, iTunes, App store, browsing with Safari (albeit on a small scale), for the added convenience of a bigger screen?

The iPad has a bigger screen
So does my 26″ Samsung HD PC monitor! And with HD it gives me the crispy sharp way to watch iTunes movie rentals. I put my iPod down when I want to watch a full movie (unless I’m on a plane and have time to kill). I don’t see the argument for a bigger screen on an iPod device (which is essentially what the iPad provides).

The iPad has G3 network coverage
iPad and iPod both have wi-fi. The iPad includes The G3 network, which means you can also browse the internet on your subway or bus ride to work. Is it really a convenience to lug around a 9.7″ diagonal screen (without a cover!) under your arms while going thru airport check-in, or on the subway train with your nosy neighbor watching along with you? Our bet – users who want the cool new gadget to show off to their colleagues or to look avante-garde, will run to Best-Buy and grab an iPad as soon as it’s available. The rest of us will enjoy our iPods until we see some naturally compelling reason to switch.

iPad vs. iPhone - Two different devices, different purposes. You want a smart phone? Get an iPhone.

iPad vs. Laptops
I like that my Dell Laptop closes. I like that it has a normal (not virtual) keyboard with tactile keys that I can feel before typing (which touch typists like to do). I like the 15.5″ inch screen for those occasions that an iPod is too small, and I’m not near a big TV or PC monitor screen. The iPad comes with Apple’s A4 processor which pumps at 1Ghz. Guess what, Intel and AMD fly at 1.4Ghz and faster. For business, the laptop is still essential, especially with the newer 6 cell batteries and longer times between recharges. Our bet – Laptop continues to dominate the mobile larger footprint.

Conclusion
The iPad is a cool evolution. It doesn’t seem to have the real innovation that was apparent immediately in the iPod Touch a few years ago. We love Apple products, especially the iPhone, iPod, iTunes, and the Mac OS. The iPad may grow on us, but it hasn’t been love at first site.

Apple’s announcement of the new iPad gives the consumer a new challenge to decide which device to purchase. TechExposures set out to make the decision process a bit easier. Here’s a side by side comparison of the features and specs of the three Apple popular devices.

Note & Disclaimer: The information contained herein was taken from Apple’s official website http://www.apple.com on January 28, 2010. Techexposures.com is not related to Apple Inc.

Is the new Apple iPad A Product Without a Market?
With a 9 inch plus screen size and at only 1/2 inch thick, the iPad looks like an oversized iPod.
The prices look great too, and much less than what the analysts had thought $499 – $699 for 16GB up to   64GB models. This just proves that corporate secrets can still be kept, even in the day of the Internet’s “run of the mouth”.

Steve Jobs does a great job of selling his products. The man was surely a snakeoil huckster in a previous life. He sat there on stage showing all the nice tricks and things that this new device can do. The question is, has Apple created a product for a need that does not yet exist, or have they essentially extrapolated on the iPod to a bigger size to capture all consumers. e.g. from iPod, to iPhone, to iPad, to MacBook, to… you get the idea.

What is the iPad niche?
As I watched the news conference, I tried to imagine shlepping an iPad around on the train, or on a plane. Like the iPhone/iPod, there’s no cover to protect it (unless you consider a plastic film a ‘cover’). I think it would be in that awkward size – too big for the pocket, and too small to really get work done. If you’re traveling to work, you want to listen to a podcast, maybe a song or two, or catch last night’s episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”. Are you really going to take the iPad with you for that? The iPhone/iPod size is just right for media on the train.
If you are traveling by plane, and you expect to get some work done at the airport gate or on the flight, what do you really want to have with you, your Dell Studio, or the iPad?

I guess the iPad is looking for the niche of home users who want easy access to online media, such as online books, videos, and music. Essentially, the iPad will give the iTunes store a bigger footprint to work with. Is that a game-changer? I don’t think so…

The Kindle is not such a whopping success in terms of units sold. So, iPad can’t have its crosshairs on the online book market. Likewise, the home media experience is still much better in surround sound stereo on your huge LCD HD Plasma screen.  Does the iPad have a niche of its own that has not yet been created?  Apple sure does have experience in convincing consumers that they _must_ have products that weren’t even invented a decade before.

What market niche is left for the iPad? Giving your kids a video player for their bedroom?  I guess we’ll soon find out.

More Information on the developer site.

Download Link Here

Review of Puppy Linux

Review of Puppy Arcade

Puppy Arcade – Have your Puppy Linux and Play Games too (with awesome speed)!
We’ve been singing the praises of Puppy Linux (Review) for some time now. We love to hear about applications and new ways to use this great and fast linux distribution.

Scott Jarvis sent us info on his just released Puppy Arcade 5, a Puppy Linux flavor with a retro video game emulation based on TurboPup Xtreme (arguably the fastest Puppy derivative). Thanks to Scott, you can now download the Puppy distro along with a ton of game emulators. These tiny game emulators, such as Amiga, Atari, Nintendo, and many others, are very suitable for a compact distro like Puppy. Many of the emulators were written over 20 years ago, but they still serve up a good time. This is an especially great experience for those of us who lived through the “Frogger” days.

Download & Installation
Puppy Arcade is currently available from two mirrors. You can find the mirror links here. Similar to Puppy Linux, Puppy Arcade is a slim 109MB download. I experienced a slow download time from both mirrors, but your mileage may vary.
The bootup and installation is quick and painless. Much of the installation is the same as Puppy Linux, since Puppy Arcade is essentially a platform for gaming consoles on a standard Puppy Linux distribution.
See our Puppy Linux review for more specifics on the installation, but suffice to say that it is painless and very quick. Once the Puppy is loaded, it is running totally in RAM. Folks, once you’ve run your OS in RAM, you’ll never want to go back!
Puppy Linux can easily be loaded on to a USB disk. I know of several computer pros who walk around with their computers in their shirt pocket (without the protector…).

What’s New & What’s Missing
In order to make room for the added gaming emulators, the browser was swapped with the equally-able Firedog browser (based on Firefox). Likewise, other tools are included to support the emulator library.
The desktop comes with a nifty top menu for easy selection of your favorite game emulator.

No Games Included
No actual game roms are included, just the emulators. However, they do provide links to the top websites where you can find roms in abundance. (Note: We do not endorse use of any of these games without legal license to play them). We assume that these roms are either in the public domain, or that you have to licensed or purchased them for your personal use.
Scott’s website does a good job of explaining how to get the most from your emulated game experience, and we recommend that you check out the examples given there.

Screenshot

Puppy Linux - Puppy Arcade

Summary
We love Puppy Linux in every form. Puppy is fast and light on its feet. The addition of games is a fun way to take advantage of the nimble Puppy platform. If you are a fan of 80’s style arcade games, Puppy Arcade is probably the best platform for you. Running your games in RAM, without ever touching a hard drive, will be a cinch with the ease of Puppy Linux.

If you are new to Linux and want to experience the sheer speed and fool-proof power of Linux, Puppy is the way to go!

Google News Error

As of 1pm EST on Thursday, Google News is reporting a 502 server error.

This is usually caused by a bad gateway or internal routing errors.

Even the mighty sometimes need to take a breather.

Update:  1:12pm

Google News is back up.