Life as a Nerd in a World of Untrained Brains

Why Doesn't It Just Work??

zioexcel — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 15:29:16 +0000

Now I don’t know if it is because I am getting old, or fussy or just more like a UB but I seem to get pretty frustrated these days when technology doesn’t work in the way I expect or want it to.

It’s really annoying when my phone crashes, or my computers don’t respond or open programs or they crash. (By this I mean PC & Mac, don’t go thinking Mac’s are exempt here.. oh no!) I’ve encountered this quite a bit recently with pretty much all my devices. Phone resets itself, Mac won’t open programs properly, iPad battery life being generally awful, Older phone having terrible sound quality when listening to music.

It just seems that I can’t win with technology at the moment. So again I don’t know if, as I get older I am becoming less tolerant to the failings of technology or whether I am becoming more closed minded in the sense I just don’t wish to tinker with it as much.

Hmmm tough call!

Return of the Mic....rosoft.

zioexcel — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 19:34:01 +0000

It’s been a while and for that I apologise. However I have switched roles in the technology world and this has removed my ability for an unbiased view on things. However I shall now make more of an effort to return to my usual tech head ways.

So what’s the topic of discussion this weekend?

Simple. Windows Phone 8.

Microsoft return to the smartphone arena with updates galore. Microsoft Windows Phone 8 is the alternative to iOS and Android in case you had been in a hole for the past two years…. oh wait you have with your iOS device. This makes sense….

Anyway. All UB prejudice aside what is Windows Phone 8 like as a platform now it has been released into the wild?

Hmmm mixed feelings on this one. A bit of backstory….

Wait… get that violin outta here!!! Jerk.

So I was and always have been a Windows Phone evangelist. I was able to sell the platform to many a UB in my time as an unbiased tech support person, thingy. The reason for this was that in my eyes Windows Phone was the best of iOS and Android put into a new platform. The simplicity and security of iOS combined with the difference that Android brings.

It’s not all rosy though. Windows Phone 7.5 (codename Mango) was severely lacking in features and despite being a very light OS (it was able to run on single core processors and not a lot of memory like iOS) devices had pretty boor battery life, yeah Nokia I’m looking at you! Plus as Android OEM’s continued to push the OS and their hardware further and further Windows Phone seemed dated quicker and quicker (a lot like iOS actually). The interesting fact with this is that now all three OS’s are going with one major platform upgrade per year leaving hardware upgrades to the OEM’s. However in Windows Phone’s case, this isn’t enough. 7.5 brought in crucial features like Tethering, more apps and other stuff that I can’t even remember. That is part of the point really. Windows Phone 8 (codename Apollo) brings in a lot more hardware changes like support for larger screen sizes, dual core processors, more memory, external memory plus extra software features like Skype integration and more live tiles plus the ability to resize tiles, which is actually quite simply a brilliant innovation.

Now back to where I was. I’ve been playing with Windows Phone 8 for a week now on a prototype dev device which has been treating me well. (I hate prototype devices) However it has highlighted several things that Microsoft seemed to have not fixed from the very beginning with 7. I shall list these now.

You cannot charge the device with it powered off. By this I mean if the device is off and you plug it in, it switches itself on, which is annoying if you want a good nights sleep.
If you reboot (or battery pull) the device with an unread SMS in your inbox it gets deleted.
If your device has the wrong time or date and you have an unread SMS it gets deleted
If your device has the wrong time or date and you have just sent an SMS, it’s no longer there
It’s down to OEM’s to allow changing the sound configuration (fine if you’ve a HTC device, not so if you don’t)
No centralised notification options
Further to above, no notification centre.

There are more but they’re the ones that bug me the most.

Windows Phone is still an intriguing platform and I’m patient enough to wait for the developers to port over some of my favourite apps like Pocket, Tumblr, Finance/banking apps, Sports apps, Dropbox app & support and a Starbucks app. These are realistically all that are missing. I don’t use anything else.

(N.B. You people out there that love Instagram… I don’t need to or want to see photos of your food with ‘cool’ filters so shut it)

Microsoft need to work on these basic things in my view for me to take Windows Phone a little more seriously than I did in the past. Android 4.1 & 4.2 Jellybean were a massive upgrade to the platform and brought in much needed changes. I hated Android prior to Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0) but I’ve grown used to it now and I’m really leaning towards it at present because of the innovation that it has brought to the smartphone arena.

Come on Microsoft I want you to reel me back in!

When's the..... STFU!!

zioexcel — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 21:41:38 +0100

So what are the top 10 things UB’s ask tech fiends that are completely retarded?

Here is a list from my personal list:

When is the iPhone 5 coming out?
When is the iPhone 5 coming out?
When is the iPhone 5 coming out?
When is the iPhone 5 coming out?
I’m going to wait for the iPhone 6… (not technically a question but whatever)
When is the iPhone 5 coming out?
What does the iPhone 5 look like?
When is the iPhone 5 coming out?
Backup, what do you mean backup?
What do you mean my iPhone doesn’t save contacts to the SIM card?

and BAM I probably just lost my job for punching you in the face.

What are the questions the UB’s around you ask?

UB Weekly: Viruses

zioexcel — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:01:04 +0100

So Friday again, man the week goes fast….sometimes! The trenches have been busy this week yet again with many UB’s rolling through like thunder. The questions have been equally as entertaining though.

My phone is playing up, I think it’s got a virus….

My phone did this weird thing yesterday, has it got a bug…?

Can phones get viruses….?

I plugged it into my computer and now it’s doing this weird thing….

Hmmm well these are always entertaining questions but this week they have been bugging me (get it….) they seem to have been asked very frequently. To be fair I don’t blame people for jumping to that conclusion as most assume correctly that smartphones are ‘mini computers’ so they assume that like a computer a phone can get viruses.

Well if your an android user then your phone can get spyware and malware of course but again the same principle as with a PC applies.

If your an idiot you will get malware on your Android phone. Just because your iPhone has switched itself off doesn’t mean it’s got a virus, it means that you need reset it or that its faulty.

Phones aren’t perfect. Your smartphone that you worship is not immune to issues. its funny when you think that about 60% of problems are only perceived problems and that 80% of those are caused by user error.

Get some smarts and stop being a UB. Learn to use your phone instead.

UB Weekly: Everything Everything

zioexcel — Wed, 02 May 2012 22:26:22 +0100

Its Friday! (Well It was) and while that means a lot to most people, to me it means nothing. But what it does mean is that it’s time for another edition of UB Weekly!

This week I have been asked the same question a lot! (Surprisingly it’s not when is the iPhone 5 coming out which ranks in at number 2) This question happens to be related to data, or more precisely - information. Data is a term now more commonly associated with smartphone data plans, which, is fair enough.

Information. Always a hot topic in the world of tech. Its protection, its safety etc etc. People are very fussy about their data. Well UB’s are anyway. Most tech orientated people ensure their data is backed up somewhere (usually in the cloud) so that if something happens to a device of theirs the only pain they feel is for the device. Most UB’s are not like this, they think their phone or device is full proof and will never fail and never delete their data. Until it is too late of course.

Me: I’m going to have to do a hard reset, this will mean all your data/information on the device will be lost.

CR: All of it?

Me: Yep, all of it.

CR: You mean I’ll lose all my contacts?

Me: Yep, everything.

CR: What about my messages?

Me: Yeah, er everything, kinda said you’ll lose everything.

CR: What about my music?

Me: ….. Everything

CR: Ohhh does that mean photos of my kids/partner/drunken nights out…

ME: ….. this is getting ridiculous now.

So that’s how the conversation goes usually. And half the time it’ll be like that again when the restore is finished. Half the time, people agree because they’ll have a working device but then when the restore is actually finished and they have a fully factory reset device its a look of disbelief.

“So i’ve got nothing on here no?”

………

Sometimes though, no matter how many times I say to people. YOU WILL LOSE EVERYTHING they still obviously don’t listen, they agree then rage and vent when they find I have deleted everything. I smile and say, I did warn you numerous times. Retard.

That Awkward Moment When....

zioexcel — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 21:23:23 +0100

…You realise your not a tech god.

So this weekend I’ve been waging war with my Server.

A few weeks ago I learnt about VPN’s and decided I would set one up on my server machine so I could spy on the connected devices… I mean, initiate remote backups and access files quicker than via the servers Remote Access Website. I reasoned to myself that if I could make the PC I was using a part of my network it would work better. Obviously this is just me convincing myself that this is the case.to make me feel more like a tech god in some way. In reality it’s not actually that useful to me.

However a VPN does have it’s uses, especially for accessing websites that are blocked by the filters at work.

NO NOT THOSE KIND OF SITES!! Pervert…

Anyway. So I went through and setup the more straight forward option of a PPTP VPN Server. Simple enough to do, just install and turn on a couple services and point the router towards the various ports on the server. Easy peasy.

It worked brilliantly!!….When using a Windows Machine that is. My Windows 7 PC’s at work were fine. No worries!

“I’m using remote desktop to my server at home, from work!!!!” I exclaimed to my colleagues who just looked at me with the bewildered WTF look on their faces.

So logically my Android smartphone, iPhone, iPad and Mac were next.

Hiccup. Damn, PPTP just isn’t secure enough for them.

Ok then, no worries I’ll just change the VPN type to L2TP and in doing so make the VPN connection more secure. It’s a win, win right…..

Wrong.

It’s been a nightmare that has taken me 2 days to try and sort. I have done everything I can think of to get this to work. Opened all the ports on the firewall, added the port forwarding on the router, disabled the firewall, reset the pre-shared key, restarted all the Remote Access Services. Nothing works.

Usually with me, defeat is not an option with regards to technology! I am a TECH GOD I rage at my machine!! YOU WILL NOT DEFEAT ME!!!

Half an hour later I’m posting into the MSDN Technet with a plea for help.

Meekly, I await a response.

UB Weekly: Data Roaming

zioexcel — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 13:10:00 +0100

So, I have a new feature for you. I’ve been reading Emails from the Command Line on Gizmodo UK and reading BOFH on The Register. Both of which are hilarious. Several friends have already thought about this sort of blog but I decided today to implement it. In UB weekly I will post the most retarded story of the week from life on the frontline as a technology advisor and dealing with the general public.

So to start us off this week I had a fun encounter with a gentleman returning from Canada. Here’s how the conversation panned out:

Customer: I just got a ridiculous bill for using data abroad. Your company should be ashamed of themselves with this! I have unlimited data on my package for peats sake! You had better get this charge removed or I’m cancelling my contract and taking my business elsewhere to another provider.

Me: Hi, just to let you know, I mean I hope you’re aware that your unlimited data is UK only right and that no provider offers Data for use abroad for free or as part of a contract.

CR: That wasn’t explained to me when I took out this contract.

Me: So the fact that our tariff guide here and on your contract stated in the terms and conditions that it is UK data didn’t highlight that to you?

CR: I didn’t get a copy of that.

Me: So you mean you didn’t get a copy of this contract which you have handed me , which ahhh, yes, has the terms and conditions printed on the back?

CR: Still I demand compensation for this.

Me: (sensing this argument tactic is going nowhere) Ok so I’ll take a look at your phone to see if there are any faults there for you.

CR: That’s a good idea.

Me: Is there any reason your data roaming is switched on?

CR: Well I needed it on as I only wanted to check a few emails and I got this ridiculous charge. I didn’t even open them!

Me: How many emails did you receive?

CR: About 40-50, all junk mail. I didn’t open them so I shouldn’t have been charged!

Me: You know that even if you don’t open it your phone has already downloaded it and therefore you have already been charged.

CR: No

Me: Well that is the case and as you switched on data roaming on your phone you made the conscious choice to use data abroad.

CR: YOU DIDN’t TELL ME THE CHARGES!!!

Me: So when your phone told you that you may incur extra charges that didn’t give you a warning, also that this text message from us here in your inbox that you opened that welcomed you to Canada with the networks we support, your roaming voicemail number and relevant charges for calls, texts and data was not in fact sent by us to you?

CR: (Takes back phone) I’m going to complain to Watchdog about this!!

Me: Have a nice day.

The Power of a Touch

zioexcel — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:12:42 +0100

Today I’ve got one acronym for you, it has 3 letters and begins with N and ends with C…. No its not NEC but close. Its NFC dumbass.

NFC is growing and growing and the acronym is becoming more and more widespread and mentioned at present. What is NFC though and what does it mean to us?

NFC stands for Near Field Communication which in non tech babble means the wireless transfer of data between two devices close to one another. Before you say it, no its not Bluetooth and it’s remarkably different and simple. NFC unlike Bluetooth needs two devices to physically make contact. You see, NFC only works with distances of up to 10cm depending on the service or device most devices are in the <5cm area too. NFC in practical terms is used with current debit and credit cards with many UK high st banks and is supported by both Visa and MasterCard for payments. However, NFC has other uses beyond banking. Sony launched last month their brand new Xperia S with which they bundled some smart tags (network dependant) these are actually NFC based tags that launch apps and perform different functions. Sony have tried to show people how NFC can be used for other purposes. For example, one tag will put your phone on silent, turn down the brightness and turn on your alarm. Pretty cool and useful.

NFC is slowly being introduced into all the top Android Smartphones. Samsung even re-released its best-selling Galaxy SII smartphone with NFC support. All the newest Android phones out recently fully support it. Galaxy Nexus, Xperia S, HTC One S, X and V, Galaxy SII and expect more going forward.

Soon expect NFC to be expanding to advertising too. Soon it’ll be everywhere.

Try it out with your smartphone and see what the fuss is about (excludes iPhone). There are Apps on the Google Play store that even allow you to write and create tags from blank ones so you can customise them for your own needs.

Brilliant stuff.

The Dark Side of Technology

zioexcel — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:10:00 +0100

Being a child of the digital age is not an easy one. Sure it means generally speaking i’m pretty good with technology and that I understand it better than previous generations but it also has a downside.

It’s ugly and its not a buzzword but it is called laziness.

Lots of technology is there to enhance and enrich our lives, computers, smartphones, the Internet all enrich our lives in some way or another. They help us get things done quicker and more efficiently, they help us reconnect with old friends and connect with friends, relatives and loved ones around the world. All these things are great and show the real benefits of technology. However they also have a dark side too.

We all know that one person that stalks their ex or partner via Facebook to make sure they aren’t up to no good. We also know that person is very suspicious of everything everyone around them is doing with their tech and when on the internet. This sort of behaviour is exhibited because technology brings us closer together, in these cases as there are many, technology can serve to drive people apart. Its where technology is used to abuse personal space and privacy. The recent phone hacking scandal here in the UK is a great example of this sort of technology abuse. We also all know that one person that uses technology to hide things from their partner and use it indecently. What is weird though is that among the generations above ‘Generation Y’ this is the sort of tech abuse that is most likely to happen.

However this is not the only dark side to technology. The other major one is the one I mentioned earlier. Laziness.

Some technology seems to have a curious side affect of making us lazier. Most of this is again an unfortunate dark side to tech that was meant to be created to enrich our lives. But in making things easier it has made people lazier as a side effect.

Auto-Correct is a big one on this side, whereby now many children can’t spell or even write properly in written exams because their smartphones effectively spell for them. Social Networking means we no longer speak to our friends or family, we just Facebook them, or tweet them (some may even +1 them, who knows) we don’t pick up the phone and have a good conversation anymore. There are people of all ages I have seen that get lost in Facebook & Twitter, they sit and use the site constantly. It’s unhealthy and unnatural.

As a tech fiend though, I am not immune to this.

I create and build tech solely to make life more interesting and in turn easier for myself. I built a server for all my media meaning I could get it off my various machines and into a central place. This however means all I need to play music is a phone or a remote. no longer do I have to move around or use my PC. I can lie in bed and listen to music without lifting more than a finger. This means generally I don’t.

I find ways to link all my tech so I can use it all at the same time, this is great as it makes me more productive, but this can also make me lazier through not having to do or think as much to get things done.

Technology brings light to many areas of the world, but remember it has a dark side too. Soon when Skynet exists we’ll regret making our tech smarter at the detriment of ourselves.

This is not a warning, just a notice.

Slipping Backwards

zioexcel — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:42:00 +0100

Today I had my first taste of Android 4.0 on The HTC One range with the One X. I liked what I saw and touched. I liked the multitasking implementation which was beautifully Sense and beautifully different. I also liked the speed of the One X I was playing with. Most of all I loved how Sense 4.0 UI was no longer shoved down your throat and obscene in look, feel and use. I liked the new simplicity of Sense 4.0. Great stuff.

There is a but in here though, I know you were waiting for it really!

The but is the other devices I had the opportunity of playing with last week. And before you ask, no they weren’t new and no the Galaxy SIII does not exist.

So I had the ‘pleasure’ of playing with A HTC Sensation XE with Android 4.0 running Sense UI v3.6 and a Samsung Galaxy SII running TouchWiz 4.0 and Android 4.0.

Unfortunately for HTC and Samsung, the pleasure was all theirs and none of mine. So what is wrong with me you ask? 3 great phones all running the same great operating system.

If that was true I wouldn’t be writing this right now. Quite frankly the legacy devices (XE and GSII) were horrible to use.

Why you may ask?

Simple. HTC & Samsung took all the best UI tweaks & features of ICS and removed them in favour of their own UI skins (Sense & TouchWiz).

Granted the GSII looks exactly the same and will not alienate non power users and UB’s but this is part of the problem. Samsung has removed all the great UI tweaks Google made with ICS on the Galaxy Nexus in favour of TouchWiz, which despite being ok to use is not as easy to use now as Vanilla Android 4.0. The only thing Samsung seem to have kept is the data counter, settings menu style, Face unlock & the addition of the camera features like the panoramic capabilities. I miss the sweeping menus, the ability to add widgets directly from the main menu, the roboto font, the speed of the OS in general and more. All of which are missing from the GSII’s ICS implementation. Now I was never a GSII fan, I’ve hated TouchWiz since its origins on the Tocco range but now I simply abhor it.

Now onto HTC who seem to have gone for an even more baffling stance (for now anyway) where they have decided that the new awesome and simple Sense 4.0 is just not right for their older, Sensation range. So they decided to release Sense 3.6 for ICS on the older devices. Soooo HTC, you decide that you have to develop and release 2 UI’s for the same OS depending on which handset the customer has?

Great strategy…. ‘in tech la la land’ maybe.

HTC’s legacy Android 4.0 implementation is the same as Samsung’s. They have effectively shoehorned ICS onto the device whilst keeping their UI the same. Now with the One range out this is an even weirder option as there are striking differences between the two UI’s. Many of the features of Sense 3.5 were there because they weren’t on Android 2.5 Gingerbread. With ICS the UI adds elements of Vanilla ICS like the multitasking pane and folders but doesn’t do so in a way that makes it feel consistently Sense or consistently ICS. It feels hashed together and looks nothing like HTC Sense 4.0 on the One range, nothing at all. The main menu is also strange, forgoing the stock ICS implementation which as I mentioned already was a beautiful re-design. It’s the same in Android 4.0 with Sense 3.6, the same up & down swiping. It is only odd because in Sense 4.0 its completely the opposite, with a side to side swiping navigation style. That in itself is irritating.

HTC & Samsung seem to be taking the the same steps with their legacy handset upgrades to Android 4.0 ICS. Until the Galaxy SIII comes out to remains to be seen whether Samsung follow HTC in fragmenting their UI as well. It is unlikely but given what HTC has done, anything goes right now.

I was never a fan of Sense 3.5 either, it was vulgar, to in your face and too slow even when paired with dual-core processing. It crashed too frequently and was just cumbersome and hogged memory. Sense 4.0 is a vast improvement but the fact that HTC are not bringing it to legacy devices makes me sad. I thought the One range was meant to bring HTC back from the doldrums of Android and back into competition with Samsung. But it seems HTC are far more content with fragmenting Android even more.

The Android UI wars are raging on and now it seems they are helping to fragment Android even more than previously, despite wanting to make it familiar for current users it actually seems to be doing the opposite and alienating people who want to use the brilliant Android 4.0 ICS as seen on the Galaxy Nexus.

Is it time for Google to start putting it’s foot down on how OEM’s treat its operating system? Maybe Google should introduce slightly stricter rules on customisation and what UI & software features should be kept from the vanilla builds.

I for one stick to my guns, I always said for me to use an Android device it would have to be running Vanilla Android. The only devices I’ve ever wanted to own were the Nexus One and now the Galaxy Nexus. For good reason I say.

Multi-Tasking

zioexcel — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:49:41 +0000

Multi-tasking is a buzzword of Smartphones. Without it a platform is laughed at and sent packing by the tech press. When Windows Phone 7 launched it had no multi-tasking solution and was taken to town by the press. Microsoft released an update of course that brought it into the fold.

Why is multi-tasking so important? Most UB’s I’ve met never use it. However saying that, these are the same ‘people’ that think you should be able to get 4 days minimum out of a smartphones battery and wonder why their phone is slow when they have every app open. Multi-tasking used to be the power users best friend. Now it is a minimum requirement on a platform or device for it to be taken seriously.

Why is this?

That question I do not have an answer to. However it poses another set of questions.

Which platform utilises it best? Which makes it the most seamless and which; makes it the prettiest?

Weird. You wouldn’t think of a function as being pretty now would you? Not really…

But in this case, it actually comes into play.

Now the following are all my opinions, so feel free to disagree… (or not as I will hunt you down!)

So which is most functional? Difficult question as multi-tasking is the same thing right?? Nope you’d be wrong there. There is a distinct difference.

iOS and Windows Phone both take advantage of Sleep-State multi-tasking where the apps in the background are frozen until you re-open them, the exception in both cases are media apps or social networking apps that take advantage of push notifications or background music.

Android and Blackberry however take advantage of Continual Process Multi-Tasking where the apps constantly run in the background to allow ‘proper’ multi-tasking to take place, so webpages load while you do something else.

Both have their advantages and disadvantages of course which is mainly down to memory and battery management. But that is also up to the user.

So again back to the question of which is the most functional?

In my opinion: Android 4.0 Ice-Cream Sandwich is the most functional with the multi-tasking pane. It allows nice a nice visual look at whats running and allows you to end tasks with minimal effort (a swipe across) and/or killing all tasks at once which is great (and something not offered on the other platforms)

Whats the most seamless? By seamless I mean the most natural to use and easy to do on a daily basis.

Again i’ll go with Android 4.0. There is a constant button for it for one and it’s easy to do especially if you want to kill all tasks. On the iPhone is a pain to have to close every single app one by one… zzzzzz. And on Windows Phone you have to hold the back key which is unnatural….

Finally, whats the prettiest?

Errmm tough one, considering WebOS had the most awesome multi-tasking. I think though that Android 4.0 is gonna take a 1-2-3 here. Its very good looking compared to Windows Phone (yuck) and the iPhone (functional but unexciting).

Weird that. I’m not a fan of Android. I like 4.0, its the best version so far and the only one (in vanilla shade) that has not made me want to kill myself but, despite being a power user myself I still would use the other 2 platforms as my main OS of choice on mobile.

Shows that in my opinion multi-tasking isn’t everything.

Decisions

zioexcel — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 16:54:31 +0000

So this past week I have faced with a decision to make. In my opinion its a tough decision to make. My friends think I am crazy (but hey I am so whatever) but I am soooo undecided its terrible.

Do I go back to the iPhone?

I always said, until Apple release a 4” iPhone I would never go back. The idea of a <4” screen on a touch-screen phone is ridiculous for me and my giant hands. I have been plodding along enjoying Windows Phone for ages now, (too long with the HD7 but it’s been the best phone i’ve owned since the iPhone 4) and I love the platform, I still recommend it to everyone who asks over everything else.

So why would I jump ship… Again….?

Good question. Simple really, it’s services. I am fully integrated with Google and Apple services. I use Macs at home, I use Apple Wireless services. I fully utilise iTunes. I use an iPad etc etc. Apps aren’t such a biggy, I have a Galaxy Nexus as a secondary device and most of the decent iPhone apps are on Android anyway, with Android 4.0 they’re pretty awesome too. (Note hate using and would never again use Android as my main device. I just don’t get it as much as I do Windows Phone and iOS)

I’ve got on fine till now though, but the future products I’m planning to buy will work more seamlessly with an iPhone in my pocket. Also I am kinda bored of the Windows Phone interface, just as the iPhone iOS interface bored me 18 months ago. I know I am a pain in the ass when it comes to phones, but in general I haven’t been bothered by this up till now, i’ve spent over a year with the same phone, which is highly unusual for me and never had an issue.

Maybe it’s just how I am feeling in relation to the rest of my personal life, the indecision I (used to) feel and the feeling of foolishness, that I need a shiny new object of desire to take my mind off it all. Maybe, probably in fact.

I also always said that if the ‘next iPhone’ was shiny enough I would go back. That is minimum 4 months away (which in tech terms is a long time) and a maximum of 8 months away (eternity) so the decision racks me. It kills me! Hmmmm…..

Apple TV

zioexcel — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 20:34:31 +0000

So I have only recently started lusting after Apple TV, I am using AirPlay more and more in my house for music with several rooms connected up via AirPlay and AirPort Express with its 3.5mm jack. Its awesome but I can’t help but feel that video is the next logical step, especially with AirPlay mirroring now available on iPad 2 and ‘iPad’ (I refuse to call it ‘the new iPad as thats just as silly as iPad 3) and with AirPlay mirroring coming in OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion this summer having the capability to mirror my MacBook Air’s screen on my TV will be awesome. But to do all of this I’d need an Apple TV. Which at £99 might not sound like much but it’s still money I don’t currently need to spend for something that is still a luxury and something I am only ‘looking forward’ to using and not using currently or needing currently.

Thats the same attitude I have with most Apple products though but Apple TV is the least useful so to speak. I have no desire to use iTunes Movies for renting, why would I do that? Who rents movies anymore anyway, thats stupid. As for the UK there are serious, serious shortcomings in the content available on the device. Netflix is the only thing i’d use and I’m quite happy using that on my PS3 currently. Also Apple TV doesn’t currently allow you to connect to anything other than iTunes (apart from the current content providers that is) which is useless as I have a MacBook Air where the whole point is not to store memory hogging video files. If I had an iMac then yeah maybe, but I don’t. I use a Windows Home Server (being the only Mac user in a house of 4 its very useful for backing up PC’s) where all my 1TB of movie files are stored. Why would I migrate this anywhere…? Apple TV doesn’t connect to it without a Jailbreak and well I don’t like that. Plus My PS3 connects no problems thanks to DLNA support in Windows Home Server 2011.

As much as it is a nice to have, currently I don’t see the point, I also don’t see it fitting into my life at present, I will be more tempted once Apple steps up its capabilities here in the UK which is a must if they want to sell more units. Until then, sorry Apple you won’t be getting more money from me.

*note should this change I will update this post.

Windows Re-imagined

zioexcel — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:53:10 +0000

More details are emerging day by day on what Microsoft are doing with Windows 8 and its Metro style interface. In the lead up to Microsoft’s ‘Consumer Preview’ which to the educated of us means the something akin to the “Windows 7 beta” but will supposedly act more like the Release Candidate which for the UB’s is almost like a proper retail version but still with bugs that can be worked out.

But the details are emerging that Microsoft is wanting to radically re-imagine Windows and what It will be. Microsoft have been slowly unifying they UI’s across their products since Windows Phone 7 was released in 2010. Xbox was the latest product to get the Metro UI overhaul and in fact the Microsoft product portfolio has been getting visually better for it. Next are many of the web services like Hotmail and of course the mighty Windows itself.

But where does this actually come from? Why over haul something that is not actually broken?

Windows 7 was the best selling, fastest selling desktop OS ever. It is also the best ever version of Windows and a massive welcome back to Microsoft after the horror that was Windows Vista. So with all this, why change it?

Those of us who used the Windows 8 Developer Preview would have noticed it was essentially Windows 7 with Windows Phone 7 tacked on with Blu Tack on the side. It was not a pleasant experience. However Microsoft have apparently done lots to improve this. If you read the official reasons why, Microsoft is trying to combine its desktop OS for touch environments (read: Tablets) to compete with renewed pressure from iOS and in particular the iPad. Many people are buying tablets (read: iPads) as opposed to netbooks now as they are far better for surfing and checking Facebook than a netbook. MS is trying its best to get in on the game, if a lot late. So they are trying to merge the familiarity of Windows with the great touch interface provided by Windows Phones Metro UI.

The latest info into the forthcoming ‘Consumer Preview’ is that the famous start button is being removed and the start up screen will, instead of the 3D waving flag Windows Logo will be a 2D more window like logo, plus a replica button to switch to metro UI similar to that in the ‘Developer Preview’.

Not sure I like the sound of these changes to be fair but in my opinion I think in this case Microsoft is trying to get ahead of Apple in the desktop stakes again. Mac OS X Lion 10.7 added LaunchPad which was an iPad style launcher for apps and a place (other than the Apps folder) for Apps/Programs on the computer. it doesn’t really fit and the link between the OSX and iOS UI is still very fragmented.

If Microsoft can succeed here I think they honestly believe they can turn the tides in the mobile world too, after all Windows 8 will introduce more people to Metro and in turn Windows Phone.

Data Roaming

zioexcel — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:46:00 +0000

A news article came out this morning that tells a story of how 60% of the British public are confused by data roaming. Apparently a large number of smartphone owners are confused by 3G and Bluetooth. Also that over half of people surveyed (1680) claimed that data roaming was the ability to access mobile data on the move around the UK.

According to this research “an overwhelming majority” of phone users in the survey (81%) said they had not been given sufficient advice on how to use their device.

Interesting research…. NOT.

What this survey does not take into account is those that blame there super high bills on not being informed, but these are no doubt the same people that would refuse a demonstration in-store as they want to find out how to use the device themselves or are too proud to be shown how to use it, thinking that the mobile phone salesperson will look down on them.

As for data roaming, the info is there. All over the web, Ofcom, Watchdog reports. Its been plastered over the news and regularly is come summertime in the UK. Also if people, (like the smart people do) come in and ASK the retailer, they will happily tell you what data roaming is and NOT to use data abroad unless its an emergency. People blame the industry and tech in general when they have a problem but in reality as I have always maintained. People are the problem, not the technology.

Get Smart and you will see that the problem lies with thee.

Technology Education

zioexcel — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:57:03 +0000

Technology Education

Divorce

zioexcel — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:29:16 +0000

Divorce is ugly, its messy and someone always gets hurt more in the end. But sometimes it can also be peaceful and mutually rewarding.

In the case of the Sony Ericsson De-Merger which was finalised recently (saying last year just makes it sound so long ago) it was a bit of both.

We all knew it was coming. The signs that Sony was investing more and allowing its fledging mobile arm bastard child to use more of its highly significant (not really) brands and technologies was a sign of things to come.

Sony seemed take more interest in SE in 2011 with a raft of new technologies developed (read: revamped) for mobile. Mobile Bravia Engine and Screens were developed, A miniature ExMor R sensor was developed and in the case of the Xperia Play, PlayStation Certification was also given (not that, that meant anything mind you, PSP phone it was not).

Lets get one thing cleared up, Sony is an incredibly secretive company like most of the top tech firms to be fair. It treats its technologies with a very guarded respect. So this is why we’ve only now seen Sony tech, patents and flagship products grace mobiles this year. Sony was plotting a coup against its Nord partner to steal their love child and take her back to Japan.

Sony Ericsson will de-merge an become Sony in Q4 of 2012 (this year) and Sony will develop everything in house. Sony mobiles will be gracing us from probably Q1 in 2013. Like any divorce though Ericsson will still have access and this will include allowing Sony the use of its extensive mobile patents and networking technologies (Ericsson is a major player in the mobile/cell tower/antenna business) and will also still act as a consultant to Sony.

This is quite an amicable agreement of sorts and means that in 2013 we might actually be graced with a proper PSP phone capable of running PSP/PS1 games downloaded from PlayStation Network. Now there is something to look forward too.

Can you name any other tech world divorces?

I’ll start you off with another recent one:

HP & Palm (well WebOS)

And a clue from an old school era:

Flash.

Ignorance Is Bliss (apparently)

zioexcel — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 23:14:08 +0000

Its time for General Ignorance round ladies and gentlemen….

Chatting to my friend and business partner this evening we, as usual got on to the irritations to our various nerd lives caused by Untrained Brains’s.

The common cause of the irritation is caused by ignorance. Most UB’s, I tag with that rather derogatory term as they are not just ignorant but like being so. Some people are interested to learn about technology and how it can enrich their lives and help them in various ways (silver surfers are a prime example of this). UB’s however, are not.

All most UB’s care about is having what everyone else has and generally being sheepish.

Like my brother I take a certain dislike to Dell machines. Admittedly they are better than they used to be but if you want something cheap with fairly good reliability get a Dell. Don’t buy a Dell (thats not an XPS spec machine) if you want decent spec’s. If you pay for something cheap and cheerful don’t expect it to move the earth by being able to play Crysis. As the resident ‘techy person’ for a few I do get asked a variety of questions especially relating to smartphones but seriously NO AN INTEL CELERON D WILL NOT ENABLE YOU TO PLAY SKYRIM ON YOUR LAPTOP, IT WONT EVEN LET YOU PLAY FOOTBALL MANAGER ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN BASIC. How many times do i have to tell you!

Also, if you don’t know how to use a computer very well how about listening to me when I explain things in plain english, or actually listen when I try and teach you how to use your Windows 7 task bar properly, how to use Aero Peek and Snap. In fact all of Windows 7’s great features. I’m not here showing you how to use the terminal in OS X or Linux, or even the Command Line in Windows. I’m not showing you how to hack into the pentagon or create a software package, I’m just trying to show you how to use Windows, a simple OS to begin with. Don’t just stare at me and repeat how much your rubbish with computers or just sit there on your phone whilst I help you.

Listen and you might learn something. But then again, Ignorance is bliss to some after all.

SmartPhones

zioexcel — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 16:44:24 +0000

Whats the difference between a Dumbphone and a smartphone?

The person who operates it.

Smartphones are hugely popular these days. The app explosion made popular by the iPhone 3G in 2007 and the low cost and high spec of many Android phones means that smartphones are now cost effective and the norm in some countries. While our phones are getting smarter, does this mean that we are getting smarter in order to keep up with them?

No, not by the evidence I’ve seen. I speak to many UB’s who buy an iPhone because its cool. Your right it is cool, but that doesn’t make you cool. In most circumstances it makes you a sheep.

Blackberry is the same. With the branch out to consumer devices many people buy blackberry for BBM (Blackberry Messenger) and that’s sheepish too.

People wonder why their phones have problems, they don’t use them how their manufacturers instruct. Backing up, syncing all things that the manufacturers advise to do often.

Most Nerds take backups seriously, they sync, they update when updates come out. They Root, they Jailbreak. But they are sensible enough and prepared to deal with the consequences should things go wrong. They aren’t the type to run to the manufacturer screaming vehemently about warranty that they no longer have or have voided.

These phones are smartphones, they are not dumb, not like some of their owners anyway.

Backup!!

zioexcel — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:01:45 +0000

You gotta wonder what goes through peoples mind when Nerds tell them to backup…. No matter how many times backups are mentioned and how simple they are UB’s always use the same excuse.

“It’s too hard” or “I can’t be dealing with that, it takes too much time!”

These phrases are like a giant red flag to Nerds everywhere! These are things i laugh and shake my head at.

Backing up is something that is basic, simple, quick, painless when you do it regularly.

Guess what, if you don’t backup your precious device, be that a phone, as tab or a computer. If it goes wrong, say bye bye to your precious data! All those Contacts, all those important messages, all those apps, high scores, whatever. Bye bye! Guess what. That’s more painful than spending a little bit of time backing up.

It also baffles me when people ask me to help them transfer data to a new device then have a go when it takes ages to backup their device that they have never sync’d, backed up or updated. Errr it’s not my fault your a retard UB that can’t follow simple instructions to make your life easier in the long run! I’m wasting my time here too you know!

So to all the UB’s out there that think its a waste of time to backup, just think what would happen if I lost this device or my kid thought it was a decent frisbee. What would you need saved, what would you want saved, what, would you not be able to live without.

Backup.