Wow, What a Wild Ride!
It is now 10 years later, and I sit here typing this very relaxed and unburdened. I just completed a year of serving as the Most Illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of South Carolina, the fourth year as a Grand Officer in the Grand Council. This year caps…
Machine Embroidery: I caught the bug!
The Geek finds (another) hobby I’m a geek by hobby and profession with some experience in Web design, image conversion, desktop publishing, electronics, etc. I’ve always had a love for processes that can take a virtual design on a computer and result in a physical item. So I looked looking into machine embroidery, and I learned…
Samsung Chromebook Plus Mini Review
The Samsung Chromebook Plus I purchased a Samsung Chromebook Plus for $309.00 from Rakuten on a Black Friday sale, and after putting it through its paces for a couple days, I am very, very happy with it. I’m not going to go into any details about specs and benchmarks–plenty of other sites do that just…
The Pebble Time Smartwatch
I really like the Pebble Time Black. It provides everything I need in a smartwatch, and the long battery life makes it worth it. Why I Bought It I was having issues with my LG G Watch running Android Wear, so I bought a Pebble Time, and I have zero regrets. Keep It Simple I…
The Kindle 3G+Special Offers edition
I just purchased a Kindle 3G+Special Offers ebook reader, and I have to say that it has far exceeded my expectations. To me, when assessing a device like this, it is always important to put into perspective just exactly what such a device can and cannot do. First, what the Kindle 3G is: First and…
Vonage: Revisited and loving it!
In an earlier post, I moaned about how though Vonage was a great service, it just didn’t fit our needs due to several significant shortcomings. Well times change, and so have my views about Vonage. We recently got a faster, more reliable Internet connection through Charter Cable, and decided to give Vonage another try. So…
CR-48 and eyeOS – a match made in Heaven?
Many years ago, I played around with an “online desktop” site called eyeOS. After playing around with the CR-48, it got me thinking that a virtual, online desktop just might be useful on the CR-48. Remember, the CR-48 is a completely Web-centric device. It is truly a “cloud computer” because almost anything you do with…
CR-48 Important Security Tip
I love the CR-48’s fast bootup, and I absolutely love its instant-on feature: Leave it powered on, close the lid, and when you re-open it, it’s instantly on where you left off. This standby mode is easy on batteries, and it is extremely useful to me. BUT… I just realized that anyone who gets a…
CR-48 Verizon 3G Info and Tips
I was searching for some specific information about how the Verizon 3G data plan works for the CR-48. I found very helpful information at Google’s Chrome OS support pages. By all means, go through those help pages. There is much useful information to be found there. Here are some tips and general information that I…
CR-48 Verizon 3G Data Plans
In addition to Wi-Fi access, the CR-48 has 3G access capability through Verizon. Once activated, you get 100MB of free data per month for two years. You can also optionally purchase several plans: $9.99 day pass with unlimited data $19.99 1 GB (valid for 30 days) $34.99 3 GB (valid for 30 days) $49.99 5…
iPod Touch Tip #5: Quick Keyboard Entry Tips
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Text entry on the iPod Touch's on-screen keyboard is surprisingly easy, but sometimes, it can be tedious to enter numbers, symbols, or special characters. But did you know that there are a few "shortcuts" that you can use to make this kind of entry quicker and easier? Read on for some tips on "shifting" letters,…
iPod Touch Review: Wikpedia on your iPod Touch!
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Arguably, one of the greatest current contributions to the Internet is Wikipedia, a solid encyclopedic resource for general knowledge of topics spanning literally millions of articles. Though the accuracy of some of its articles is questionable, overall, Wikipedia does an excellent job of presenting generally reliable content. A point of note that any researcher, student,…
iPod Touch Tip #4: Backing Up Web Clips
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Web Clips on your iPod Touch's Home Page are very handy, but if you accidentally delete one, how do you get it back? Well, you can't. When you create a Web Clip, consider also creating a corresponding Bookmark in Safari. This way, should you ever accidentally delete your Web Clip, you will have an easy…
iPod Touch Tip #3: Safari Screen Rotation
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Here's a simple, yet not always intuitive tip. Have you ever been using Safari while lying down in bed or on a couch? You get comfortable, and as you tilt your iPod Touch, does the screen auto-rotate the wrong way? You then go through the delecate balancing act of finding that "sweet spot" just before…
iPod Touch Review: Griffin Elan Convertible Case
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Like any PDA or pocket-sized electronic device, the iPod Touch is prone to scratches and dings, so on eof the first accessories you should consider is a case to protect it. Cases come in all sizes and shapes, so what is best for you is a very personal and subjective decision. I found the Griffin…
iPod Touch Tip #2: Using Google Maps Routes Offline
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The Google Maps application included in the "January Update" apps has a very nice offline feature: Routing. While connected to WiFi, Tap the "Directions" button, and enter the starting location and then the ending location of your desired route. Maps will then download the route data and store it for offline use. All route-point information…
iPod Touch News: Software Development Kit (SDK)
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Apple announced that in February 2008, they would release a Software Development Kit (SDK) enabling third-party developers to create applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Many people are placing a lot of hope into this tool. As of this writing, it appears that its release will be delayed until March, 2008. Read on to…
iPod Touch Review: “January Upgrade” Applications
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Apple released a firmware update (v1.1.3) providing some system tweaks and bug fixes, but it also came with a controversial upgrade that included 5 additional applications and some enhanced system functionality. What made it so controversial was that Apple charged $20 for the applications and enhanced functions. Some of the applications are simple, and some…
iPod Touch Tip #1: Jump To Safari Address Bar
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If you are viewing a long Web page in Safari, once you have scrolled down the page, it can be tedious to have to scroll all the way back up to the top to get to the Address Bar. Instead of scrolling, simply tap Safari's top toolbar, and it will jump you right to the…
iPod Touch Review: “Jailbreaking”
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I’m going to get this topic out of the way early on, as it is a topic that is taboo in many circles, but important, none the less. I am not going to explain here how to Jailbreak your iPhone/iPod Touch–a Google search can lead you where you need to go for those details. I…