Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Working with todays tools

What ever you want to call it, the Internet of Things, or Cloud computing.  Todays tools/apps are amazing.  I just found a new useful app/tool/extension, or what ever. It interconnects your digital world. It's called  Pushbullet, which is an extension, and a phone app, as well as a local app on your Operating System. Why is this app useful? Well, it pushes your phone notifications, and SMS to an extension on your browser or computer. I wrote earlier that I started using Chromebook full time at home, "The Chromebook Experiment", and "5 Months using a Chromebook" . This fits in nicely. When I receive an SMS or a WhatsApp message it get's pushed to my Chrome Extension notification on the chromebook.  It also notifies me on my work computers local OSX Application (there is a windows version as well, and a community made Ubuntu version) I use whatsapp to communicate with my family, since we have a wifi Internet connection at home, and at work, and I usually have my phone set on vibrate or silent (I do miss some messages). I like the fact that I can receive notifications on my browser, or OS, let that be work, or home. It also has a nice way of sending url's, notes, files, or images to your devices, so all your interconnected web of phone, tablet, laptop, desktop can receive a broadcast of what ever you want. File-sharing is another story, this app isn't really for that. Anyhow, check it out, let me know what you think.

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Headphones

 
Skullcandy Hesh2
  This post is not about Linux, or Chromebook, it's actually about an accessory.  I've been on the hunt for a headphone which is a good fit for my head, it's not an easy task. I have a hard time finding sunglasses that fit too. I've tried some of my co-workers headphones at work, some were great, some just plain old annoying. Today I listened to some online radio, using a really old and basic headphones, but the music sounded so different, which is when I realized my headphones at home was out of date.
  So I went and looked for a new headphone.  At the store there was a setup to test headphones, naturally this one wasn't between them.  But I've read good reviews about the skullcandy brand. I tried the usual suspects, Sony, Philips were the one's out on display and trial, they sounded pretty good, but they weren't comfortable. I saw this one on the shelf, and decided to buy it, worst case I'll just return it.  I gotta say, it's a perfect fit on my head, and perfectly covers my ears. Music sounds great, it's comfortable, and since it fully covers my ears, I can't hear other noise around me. So far I would recommend it, though I think you should try them on before buying, I didn't have that option, yet I feel happy about my purchase. I may write a follow up after using it for a longer time.

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Re-living the windows OS pain

Today, I had to re-live the pain of re-installing a windows laptop for family. At 1.6 GHz single core with 2GB of RAM. It's been updating the system for 7 hours, and it's not done yet.  This is truly when you appreciate a chromebook. Wish they were cheaper in Hungary, I would recommend replacing this painfully slow laptop, with a chromebook in a heart beat.