In the last three days my HTC Sensation that I've had for years now just decided it wants to not turn on any more. When I first got this phone it was fantastic, fast and sleek, very durable. About a month or so ago the power button stopped working, thanks to a little ingenuity and encouragement from my wife I found some apps that could circumvent that problem and it has really been not too bad to use, a little annoying but manageable. But now that I find that I can't even get my phone to turn on until the afternoon, I'm at a loss at what to do. Is it a battery problem or hardware, software? Not even sure.
So do I limp along till Oct. and search for a good deal, or do I get a new phone now and get going with something new. Of course the fiscally smart thing to do is wait, but every bone in my body wants to get a new phone and stop dealing with degenerating technology that will slowly die out.
At the same time, getting a new phone now would be nice and there are some good options, but if I wait I could get a newer phone for the same amount of money, but isn't that always the case? With the advent of these every six month technology release it seems we're always behind the curve when we buy devices, and with these new upgrade every six month plans from the providers that could be worth it, but is it really? Not sure. I seems that they just want to gouge their customers for every penny, whatever happened to treating your costumers like they matter, it seems these days that these large phone companies only care about the bottom line.
Being the tech geek that I am I do long for a new phone and look forward to that switch, just not looking forward to the buyers remorse afterward.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
The lure of the Apps
Apps, wonderful things invented to help, delight, and entertain us. There are soo many apps that we say, "there's an app for that". Apps come in all shapes and sizes and on differing platforms. The lure of that apps comes from one word ....free. Ah free, what a glorious word, but is any app really "free". Free of what?, cost, pain, privacy, security. Do we really look at the "cost" of the word free? I've noticed that so many apps invade our privacy's, control our phones, take our information. Do we care? no. We don't mind, most of the time we don't even notice.
Perhaps the biggest lure from Apps comes from the use of them. Here is what I mean. I've been using android based phones since the arrival of the smart phone. I've loved the apps that came to me from Google Play, and the Amazon App Store. So many free amazing apps that improved my first world life and let me enjoy the amazing thing that was my phone, but that came at a cost that I only now realize. These apps have been slowly limiting my view of what smart device I can get. When people ask, why don't you get an different phone like an iphone or a windows phone, I say well because I've been using android for so long, they have all my apps. These apps have determined what I like and chained me to a platform that maybe I didn't really want to be chained too. So how do I break free, can it be done. Do I just alienate my treasured apps for others that might be inferior in some way, was my choice of phone really that important when I joined the smart phone world? I think yes.
It's time for me to upgrade my phone and I've been looking at all the models available and many of them have appeal, but because of my history of android apps I find myself disregarding phones like the windows phone and the iphone because really, they won't have the apps I want. But then I ask myself, do I really want those apps. I find the answer is....I don't know, what would I do without them? Would my life be empty without the apps I've grown to love?
The answer is no, my life wouldn't be empty and I shouldn't make the apps the most important thing. So why do I make them important. Well because I've had a personal experience with them and I've learned things about them or they've helped me learn things about the world. So I appreciate them, but I shouldn't invest so much in them that I find myself tied down to apple or android or windows. I will Free myself from the apps and the next time I buy a smart phone I will think of other things that I might benefit from and what other possibilities are there for those phones.
I declare freedom from the lure of the apps and take back control of my own buying power!
Perhaps the biggest lure from Apps comes from the use of them. Here is what I mean. I've been using android based phones since the arrival of the smart phone. I've loved the apps that came to me from Google Play, and the Amazon App Store. So many free amazing apps that improved my first world life and let me enjoy the amazing thing that was my phone, but that came at a cost that I only now realize. These apps have been slowly limiting my view of what smart device I can get. When people ask, why don't you get an different phone like an iphone or a windows phone, I say well because I've been using android for so long, they have all my apps. These apps have determined what I like and chained me to a platform that maybe I didn't really want to be chained too. So how do I break free, can it be done. Do I just alienate my treasured apps for others that might be inferior in some way, was my choice of phone really that important when I joined the smart phone world? I think yes.
It's time for me to upgrade my phone and I've been looking at all the models available and many of them have appeal, but because of my history of android apps I find myself disregarding phones like the windows phone and the iphone because really, they won't have the apps I want. But then I ask myself, do I really want those apps. I find the answer is....I don't know, what would I do without them? Would my life be empty without the apps I've grown to love?
The answer is no, my life wouldn't be empty and I shouldn't make the apps the most important thing. So why do I make them important. Well because I've had a personal experience with them and I've learned things about them or they've helped me learn things about the world. So I appreciate them, but I shouldn't invest so much in them that I find myself tied down to apple or android or windows. I will Free myself from the apps and the next time I buy a smart phone I will think of other things that I might benefit from and what other possibilities are there for those phones.
I declare freedom from the lure of the apps and take back control of my own buying power!
Monday, September 9, 2013
My love, hate relationship with Windows 8.1 Preview
Many of your may have known that I updated to Windows 8 earlier this year and have really been enjoying it. 2 weeks ago I went ahead and updated my desktop to Windows 8.1 preview which has been really interesting to play with some of the new features. Well here is where the love hate relationship comes in.
Love: Opening email links on to a split screen so I can see the page and still see the email. (although I do have dual monitors so really not necessary)
Love: The changes to the start screen and the new way to access all your programs, also the ease of use now in customizing the start screen.
Love: Program switching and the the way that programs interact with each other and the fun way to close the programs with a swipe of the mouse from top of the screen to bottom. Makes interacting with my programs that much more fun.
Hate: That the Start button was brought back and really isn't a start button at all, the only saving grace is that I can shutdown the computer a little bit faster with a right click, but really it didn't take that long before. Now there is just a pointless start button when I don't need one.
Hate: That the Windows 8 store has not yet partnered with any really great app shops out there to increase the number and quality of apps available. I imagine that store would be sooo much better with access to some android or even a partnership with the amazon store.
Hate: Well that's really all I can think of right now and I suppose that bodes well for the OS.
In conclusion, I've really enjoyed the switch to Windows 8.1 Preview and I am looking forward to the full release in October this year. Hopefully they can make it better than is already is.
Love: Opening email links on to a split screen so I can see the page and still see the email. (although I do have dual monitors so really not necessary)
Love: The changes to the start screen and the new way to access all your programs, also the ease of use now in customizing the start screen.
Love: Program switching and the the way that programs interact with each other and the fun way to close the programs with a swipe of the mouse from top of the screen to bottom. Makes interacting with my programs that much more fun.
Hate: That the Start button was brought back and really isn't a start button at all, the only saving grace is that I can shutdown the computer a little bit faster with a right click, but really it didn't take that long before. Now there is just a pointless start button when I don't need one.
Hate: That the Windows 8 store has not yet partnered with any really great app shops out there to increase the number and quality of apps available. I imagine that store would be sooo much better with access to some android or even a partnership with the amazon store.
Hate: Well that's really all I can think of right now and I suppose that bodes well for the OS.
In conclusion, I've really enjoyed the switch to Windows 8.1 Preview and I am looking forward to the full release in October this year. Hopefully they can make it better than is already is.
Smart Watch? Really.
So many of you might have seen the new Sony Smart watch seen here: Sony Smart Watch
Is this an awesome new thing or just a fleeting niche product that mostly likely will fade away as fast as it popped up? Well my opinion is that they just might have missed the mark on this. These watches remind me of the Calculator watch back in the late 80's early 90's. At the time they were amazing and everyone had to have one, but once you got one you really didn't know what to do with it except maybe cheat on your math homework. And the day after I got mine, I forgot I had it on went to a friends house to go swimming and well....you can guess that my calculator watch didn't work so well after that.
So these smart watches will be the same, just a passing fad, unless..... With the advent of flexible displays and emerging folding screen technology these devices could be viable. Imagine you slap this screen device on your wrist like those old wrist slappers that we all know and love, and while it's on your wrist you can see the time. Then when you want to browse the web or play a game or any other smart phone activity you just take it off your wrist unfold it and go at it.
Smart watches?, I'm gonna say "Nice try" but until we can get some of these other technologies into these watches, they just aren't worth the money.
Is this an awesome new thing or just a fleeting niche product that mostly likely will fade away as fast as it popped up? Well my opinion is that they just might have missed the mark on this. These watches remind me of the Calculator watch back in the late 80's early 90's. At the time they were amazing and everyone had to have one, but once you got one you really didn't know what to do with it except maybe cheat on your math homework. And the day after I got mine, I forgot I had it on went to a friends house to go swimming and well....you can guess that my calculator watch didn't work so well after that.
So these smart watches will be the same, just a passing fad, unless..... With the advent of flexible displays and emerging folding screen technology these devices could be viable. Imagine you slap this screen device on your wrist like those old wrist slappers that we all know and love, and while it's on your wrist you can see the time. Then when you want to browse the web or play a game or any other smart phone activity you just take it off your wrist unfold it and go at it.
Smart watches?, I'm gonna say "Nice try" but until we can get some of these other technologies into these watches, they just aren't worth the money.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Win7 & Office 2010
As many of you may know from my last post (which was really forever ago), I've been using Win 7 now at work and at home. Its been exciting to explore Win 7 and look for things to improve performance and squeeze every inch of power out of my box. One gem of wisdom that I wanted to pass on was how to turn off the User Account Control system on your Win 7 box. If your not sure what they is, it is the "Cancel or Allow" feature of your Win 7 system. Every time you want to change or install a program you get a window pop up that asks you if your "SURE" you want do to that. And you think to yourself "Well of course I do, that why I click on it...Duh!". Well I have awesome news for all you out there who have been wishing you could just turn that feature off. YOU CAN!
From the bottom of the screen select the start menu icon. Then when it opens lick on your user icon in the upper right hand corner of the start menu. This will take you to the User Accounts page. On the right side at the bottom is a link to access the User Account Control Settings. Click once on that link and it will prompt you what to do. You'll see a slider on the left hand side, just slide it all the way to the bottom and click OK.
In a last act of desperation the computer will ask you if your sure you want to do that. Just select yes and then restart your computer. You will never be asked from that silly User Account Control again. If your some reason after you've turned it off you decide you just can't live without it. I suggest a brain scan.....but a more simple task would be to just follow the above steps and instead of sliding the slider to the bottom slide it to the top to activate the User Account Control.
I hope that helps some of you ease the pain of using Win 7 although it really is pretty painless already.
Also this post I wanted to discuss Office 2010. I just recently upgraded and let me tell you I like what I see. Office 2010 version is finally 64-bit compatible. It about time huh? And even the database software is also 64-bit which means faster queries in Access and more available cell processing in Excel. I haven't been able to thoroughly test the software but from what I've seen so far I like the new look and I like some of the new features. If you can I would highly suggest an upgrade. In today's world there is absolutely no reason for a small business to be running office 95. Bite the bullet and spend some of that hard earned cash on a new office upgrade. You'll be glad you did. And as a side comment to that note I think it's very important to always stay up to date with the latest software. It IS an investment and you should treat it as such, your company only stands to gain from being on the forefront of technology and digital know how.
That's all for now, hope to post again soon on the joys of Smart Phones. Till then - happy computing.
From the bottom of the screen select the start menu icon. Then when it opens lick on your user icon in the upper right hand corner of the start menu. This will take you to the User Accounts page. On the right side at the bottom is a link to access the User Account Control Settings. Click once on that link and it will prompt you what to do. You'll see a slider on the left hand side, just slide it all the way to the bottom and click OK.
In a last act of desperation the computer will ask you if your sure you want to do that. Just select yes and then restart your computer. You will never be asked from that silly User Account Control again. If your some reason after you've turned it off you decide you just can't live without it. I suggest a brain scan.....but a more simple task would be to just follow the above steps and instead of sliding the slider to the bottom slide it to the top to activate the User Account Control.
I hope that helps some of you ease the pain of using Win 7 although it really is pretty painless already.
Also this post I wanted to discuss Office 2010. I just recently upgraded and let me tell you I like what I see. Office 2010 version is finally 64-bit compatible. It about time huh? And even the database software is also 64-bit which means faster queries in Access and more available cell processing in Excel. I haven't been able to thoroughly test the software but from what I've seen so far I like the new look and I like some of the new features. If you can I would highly suggest an upgrade. In today's world there is absolutely no reason for a small business to be running office 95. Bite the bullet and spend some of that hard earned cash on a new office upgrade. You'll be glad you did. And as a side comment to that note I think it's very important to always stay up to date with the latest software. It IS an investment and you should treat it as such, your company only stands to gain from being on the forefront of technology and digital know how.
That's all for now, hope to post again soon on the joys of Smart Phones. Till then - happy computing.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Windows 7 Short Review
So after a few weeks of using and tweaking Windows 7, I have decided that it is quite possible the best OS on the market to date. I'm very impressed at how far Microsoft has come with this product and love that it is leaps and bounds ahead of Vista as far as usability,stability, and compatibility. Also this has been the first time for me testing out a 64-bit OS, and I must say that I am very impressed and sad that I didn't switch to 64-bit a long time ago, but perhaps this is just perfect timing for me. 64-bit allow me to utilize all of my current RAM and allows my fancy animation and digitally editing programs to run to their full potential. I didn't realize how well some of my programs could run until I got them on a 64-bit system. You may not know this but allot of the software you buy has been optimized for 64-bit, but you buy the 32-bit program which is really the slower slightly less effective version. Windows 7 has made for a seem less integration of my 32-bit software onto a 64-bit system. I have had no compatibility issues that couldn't be resolved by downloading the latest 64-bit drivers for that software, and Nvidia has really been on the ball and kept up with their 64-bit drivers for Windows 7 and I love that.
Bottom line, if you have the chance to upgrade to windows 7 when it comes out this September I would highly recommend it, especially if your running graphics and digital editing software that could greatly benefit from running at their peak performance capabilities.
Bottom line, if you have the chance to upgrade to windows 7 when it comes out this September I would highly recommend it, especially if your running graphics and digital editing software that could greatly benefit from running at their peak performance capabilities.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
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