Retro Duo

Yesterday, I finally acquired the Retro Duo by Retro-Bit.  After over 20 years of faithful service, my original Super Nintendo console have been giving me issues with reading the game cartridges.  It probably just needed some cleaning of its contacts.  My even older Nintendo Entertainment System have had issues with reading games for over a decade now.  Hence the reason for me getting a replacement in the meantime.

SSD Modded iPod Classic

A few weeks ago I decided to purchase a modded iPod Classic from a vendor on eBay.  Up to now, I have been using another digital music player which I will write about in the future but I have always liked how the old style iPod units feel.  After some research, I decided to go with a unit from a particular vendor who has a 100% eBay rating based in the US.

My New Nexus 7

Six months after I dropped my tablet and cracked the screen, I decided to replace it with the new version of Google's Nexus 7 tablet.  This time with an overpriced official red folio case, because I know I will drop it again.

I haven't played too much with the tablet yet but from a quick glance, the most noticeable difference is the much higher resolution of the screen.  It really is sharp.  I loaded some music and video files and my essential apps such as banking and Kindle on it.  I will also try to use it for studying rather than using the old fashioned print outs.  With Quickoffice already loaded on it, I can now open Word and Powerpoint files on the go.

Here's hoping I am more careful this time around and not cause another fatal accident.

Ice Cream Sandwich Woes

After upgrading my Galaxy Note to the Ice Cream Sandwich from Gingerbread, I have noticed a significant increase in battery power consumption.  Prior to the upgrade, with moderate use during work hours, I would still have plenty of power to spare.  Now, there have been several instances where I had to plug in as soon as I get home.  During a normal day, I use only the stock browser and Google Talk.

Another bug I notice is the constant locking up of the data antenna.  Several times, I had to either restart the phone to get it up and running or switch to airplane mode and back again.

As a normal user, I find this very discouraging and hope that a fix will be released soon.

My New Phone

On Friday, I was able to pick up the newly released Samsung Galaxy Note.  At the same time, I switched carriers from Telus to Rogers since they provide the corporate plan for my workplace.  What drew me to the new plan was the fact that the regular plan is only $18 and for another $30, I was able to get a 6GB data plan.  With my old plan from Telus, I was paying $100 a month.

Infrared Glo-Toob

With the arrival of my infrared Glo-Toob, I finally have all the accessories for my Ops Core helmet.  At the moment, I am trying to figure out a way that would allow me to attach said Glo-Toob onto the helmet.  There are a few ways that I can think of but I need to make sure that once it is attached, it is actually secure.

One Step Closer to Skynet

A University of Tokyo and Technische Universität München robot named PR2 was recently upgraded with a new semantic search capability.  When it was asked to fetch a sandwich, the robot went to the fridge to look for one, could not find one, so it took the elevator down, went to Subway next door, ordered a sandwich, and brought it back.  That is pretty cool.

On another note, rather than preparing for the zombie apocalypse, maybe I should switch to a robot apocalypse instead.  It will be only a matter of time before they rise up.

My Old MP3 Player

Pictured above was my very first MP3 player, the Diamond Rio 600.  Purchased back in 2001, this baby was packing 32MB of  storage.  It was small, it was light, and I could carry around 10 of my music files.  At the time, I thought of this as the best thing ever.  Up until then, I was carrying around a portable CD player that I continually break.  I decided to get a new device when I left my CD binder on the subway.  I used this for a bit until one day when I saw a Sony CD player that actually play MP3 files.  Then that became the best thing ever.  Then I caught wind of the iPod.  The third generation iPod came with the touch scroll wheel and 10GB of storage which at the time was actually larger than my desktop HD.  That thing is still with me as it held many sentimental value.  It is the only Apple product that I kept after my Apple meltdown.

Replacement Kindle

My replacement Kindle arrived today via UPS and I can finally resume my reading.  All I have to do is wait for the email from Amazon so I can send the defective one back to them. I will also need to check my credit card to make sure that they refund the second Kindle.  As can be seen in my blurry picture, the one on the right is the broken one where the top 2/3 of the screen is stuck on Agatha Christie and the bottom 1/3 is the working screen.  Had it been stuck on Emily Dickinson, I would probably declare it haunted and not touch a Kindle ever.  I hope the next update will allow users to customize the screensaver images.

My Kindle

My Amazon Kindle 3 finally arrived today via UPS.  I was quite happy to read using my smart phone on my way home from work on the subway until I got into the Game of Thrones and its subsequent novels.  I realized that I may go blind before I could read all seven of them.  That and it was actually quite bothersome reading in the hospital room with my phone tethered to its power source.

Music Beta by Google

Google today announced Music Beta, a music streaming service for web browsers, and Android devices.  The idea is for users to upload their music onto this cloud based service and then enjoy it anywhere on a Flash enabled device.  It is also capable of playing it offline by accessing the most recently played music stored in the cache.  Seems to be quite simple, by going to the website, users can first apply for an invite, upload their music, and then enjoy them by getting the Android app.  Users will also be able to create Playlists or use the Instant Mix function.

In need of a new MP3 Player

I am in need of a new MP3 player once again.  I have been mulling over a few items for the last couple of weeks but I still have yet to decide on which one to buy or if I should buy it at all.  Currently, I am using my phone, the Samsumg Galaxy S Fascinate as my default music player.  With a 32GB microSD, I have plenty of music in there but my only gripe with the phone is how quickly the battery drains over a typical day.