RichC | May 23, 2013
I love reading stories about bright young inventors exploring the world of science and remember with fondness the days of science fair projects. One that recently caught my eye was a scholarship winner from California who worked with super capacitors and is finding ways to improve electrical energy storage devices (as well as charging and [...]
RichC | May 22, 2013
Steve Wilhite, father of the Graphics Interchange Format, has ended the heated debate on how to pronounce "GIF." LINK
RichC | May 10, 2013
After almost throwing away my older version of the Blue Snowball microphone, I decided to plug the USB mic into my new iMac running OSX 10.8.3 … and to my surprise it worked great for a couple VOIP connections. For those of you familiar with this original USB mic, it was not supported with firmware [...]
RichC | April 19, 2013
High-End Estates, Captured by Drone http://on.wsj.com/11mX3c0
RichC | April 9, 2013
With Apple struggling to keep its stock price from dipping any lower (although it really doesn’t look like they care), analysts and tech watchers speculate that there will be an Apple HDTV offering and a less expensive (cheaper) iPhone, but who knows what the new product(s) will be? I’m in the camp that sees the [...]
RichC | April 4, 2013
While setting up the iPad with my new (old 30 pin version) AV adapter and Kiosk Pro app, I decided to check out the new Slingbox on my workshop TV. Wow … it streamed from my HD cable box over WiFi just fine and improved the quality of the picture too. As for programing the [...]
RichC | March 29, 2013
I’m still adapting to a new computer and trying not to burn out my eyes on this bright and large 27” monitor, but after the adjustment I think I’m going to enjoy using the new iMac for both OSX and Windows 7 chores (via Parallels Desktop 8). The new four cored 3.4 GHz Intel i7 [...]
RichC | March 19, 2013
Occasionally I make one of those spur-of-the-moment impulse purchases that doesn’t give me buyer’s remorse. I have been wanting a bluetooth speaker to improve the sound coming from my iPhone or iPad without resorting to plugging in the 3.5mm cable or using earbuds. I thought, “hmm, this will work great on the desk and even [...]
RichC | March 14, 2013
Automatic’s online video and marketing phrase, “save hundreds on gas every year,” seems a little bit hokey, but the idea of a device which connects your smartphone to your vehicle’s OBD port by bluetooth is pretty smart. For a pre-order price of $69.95, the tech gadget should be able to give you plenty of diagnostic [...]
RichC | February 15, 2013
A friend of mine recommended adding the PrivacyFix plug-in to Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome browsers. The install was simple on both and checks a variety of user adjustable privacy setting on Facebook and Google. After completing the 3 minute multi-step check, there is a option to install a small monitor icon on the browser [...]
RichC | January 11, 2013
Here’s a helpful “Tech Friday” post that is really just some smart advice – it has nothing to do with the photo of Tootsie above except that it was taken with the iPhone 5. Anyway, a client of mine regularly upgrades his high end phone (and now his iPad) every 2 years as permitted by [...]
RichC | January 4, 2013
Up and coming shoe technology that charges gadgets could be one of the more interesting inventions this year. I suspect we’ll see more wearable charging in the future. "This charger works using pressure, as you walk you generate pressure that in turn generates energy, once you have arrived where you were going you can now [...]
RichC | January 3, 2013
I’m not a big social networking guy, but I do send tweets to Twitter, post a newsy story or two to Google+ and send a photo or two to Facebook once a month for family (and to a lessor extent use a few other social networks) … but Google is using its behemoth size to [...]
RichC | December 27, 2012
Good news from Google if you’ve been using the Gmail web interface to make calls to phones. I’ve found call clarity to be top notch and a perfect replacement for what was once a free service from Skype. I still would mind having both services offering free calls in North America, but glad Google will [...]
RichC | December 7, 2012
Tell me I’m not crazy, but this is the third time that I’ve purchased an all-in-one multifunction printer in the past several years. For one, inkjet printer heads and ink are challenging to keep flowing without problems, particularly when using refills and remanufactured inks – link. The customer support phone line suggested that using “their [...]
RichC | November 27, 2012
The topic of computer and Internet security came up this past holiday weekend as several family members wanted access to our home Wi-Fi. My son, having an “open attitude” when in rental houses on his college campus, complained about my “passphrase” security method when trying to help each of his cousins connect their computers and [...]
RichC | November 26, 2012
Mobile smartphone and tablet devices are closing in on replacing at least our portable notebook and laptop computers (story link), but according to early “Cyber Monday” sales numbers, laptop/notebook computers are the number one sellers. I’m personally not ready to eliminate the notebook or desktop computer, but mobile OS devices have improved dramatically and I [...]
RichC | November 20, 2012
My Ram Mount iPad car mount has a weak point and I am wondering if I’m alone or if this is a design problem? From what I can tell, the weak point is where the latch makes a 90-degree turn (see photo). Initially it was very tight to snap the roller-latch mechanism to hold the [...]
RichC | November 19, 2012
Upgrades, discounts, sales, coupons … way too much temptation. There is yet another reason to ignore email advertising or online marketing. Unfortunately I’m not taking my own advice and caved in to SlingMedia’s offer of a discount to upgrade my device either of their newer Slingboxes – 350 or “melted and warped” 500. I’ve opted [...]
RichC | October 20, 2012
Why is it that I question installing and using software some pretty impressing “debluring software” from a guy named Vladimir Yuzhikov? Am I being overly paranoid or worse … prejudice. Anyway take a look at SmartDeblur and what Gizmodo has to say about this windows only (for now) software … although with smartphones getting some [...]
RichC | October 8, 2012
Last week I started testing the new wireless Internet being offered by FreedomPop.com. The service is interesting because light data users can connect and use the Internet basically for “free.” Higher data use plans are available for those needing more, but requires paying for it, helping to build out the user base or completing offers [...]
RichC | September 28, 2012
A friend of mine is contemplating a computer upgrade and wants to look at an Apple Macbook Pro or Macbook Air this year, but the $2000 price tag is something to think seriously about. He asked me for my opinion since I have a pile of old Macintosh computers and hears that most users are [...]
RichC | September 26, 2012
The Internet was down for a while yesterday (might have been my network issue) and realized I could no longer tether to my Palm Pre. Now that I have the iPhone 5, I’ve lost the emergency wifi connection that had come in so handy. Hmm, next best thing was to connect my Kensington bluetooth keyboard [...]
RichC | September 21, 2012
While waiting for delivery of a new 4G LTE phone, it made sense to compare carriers who currently have markets offering these higher data rates (currently Verizon, AT&T and Sprint). For many in the U.S. and overseas who are locked into existing contracts or not near LTE metro areas, buying a 4G LTE phone will [...]
RichC | September 12, 2012
I followed the Engadget liveblog and listen to the Leo Laporte’s TWIT gang during Apple’s launch of the iPhone 5, and it only seems appropriate that I chime in (I tweeted too much already). I’m sure there will be a few other blogs commenting today (chuckle, chuckle) and some will offer far more intelligent insight [...]
RichC | September 9, 2012
After Samsung’s recent lost to Apple in federal court, Android users will start to see a few changes to the look and feel of their phones and tablets and those being designed by Apple. One would assume that the individual manufacturer’s tweaks to Google’s Android – skins –will be modified from the current attempt to [...]
RichC | September 7, 2012
I read a simple article reviewing where Apple ($AAPL) makes their money … product mix, not geographic location. Anyway, I thought it was interesting that they make over 70% of their total sales (trailing 12 months) on the iPhone and iPad … that in comparison to Macintosh computers, software and services and even their Music [...]
RichC | September 4, 2012
I do enjoy the hype and speculation surrounding a new gadget release in the tech world … and few do it better than Apple. Last year’s iPhone 4s announcement was expected by most of us to be the iPhone 5, but it was not to be. This year everyone again expects them to adopt the [...]
RichC | August 25, 2012
It’s no secret that I’m a long time Apple user and have done my part in supporting the company as computer and gadget buyer and as an $AAPL shareholder, but I’m also rebellious when their eco-system boxes out competitors. I dislike Apple telling me what software I can and can’t install on my computer devices [...]
RichC | August 19, 2012
Ah yes … Brenda is working night shift hours this weekend so it gave me a chance to monkey around with her new Samsung Galaxy S II Epic … purloined it while she was sleeping today. One of her ploys to keep me from playing with her new smartphone was to add the new protective [...]