I have several hours to kill while I wait for my next flight and so I am hanging out in Delta's Sky Club at the Los Angeles International Airport. Technology continues to evolve and so I thought I would look around to do a non-scientific survey of what devices people are using while they wait for their flights. The lady in front of me is working feverishly on her Mac laptop. In fact most of the laptops in here are Macs. About the only exception is the guy to my right with his Dell. However he is using his oversized iPhone, so does it count? In fact the majority of the people in the airport lounge are actually mostly staring at their small smartphone screens. I wonder how many of them are playing Pokémon Go?
I do see one or two women using tablet computers. All of them seem to be reading. Amazingly I don't see a single book out. I wonder if that is because there is a plethora of electrical outlets here, so everyone seems to be taking advantage of them to recharge batteries. Most of the aforementioned phones seem to be corded to the outlets as well.
Finally the older woman to my right has taken over her table with an old-fashioned paper notebook. Papers are spread everywhere as her husband carefully guards a small corner of space for his bowl of chicken chili. In a large room filled with about 50 frequent fliers, she is the only one using paper. Considering the lounge provides a stack of newspapers and magazines for everyone to read, I find that interesting.
As for me, I have my Mac laptop out as I prefer a full-sized keyboard over the simulated one on my phone. Earlier today I completed a Powerpoint presentation for my meetings this week and now want to top off the battery before my next flight. While I know there will be a power outlet by my seat on the plane, it still feels good to have a full battery just in case I need it. I also used my phone to call my wife and talk about her exciting morning without me. Yes technology is everywhere and most of my fellow travelers seem to be taking advantage of it.
Showing posts with label tablet computers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tablet computers. Show all posts
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Friday, February 27, 2015
Preventative Maintenance
Today I took my car into the shop for some regularly scheduled maintenance. I have a 2001 BMW 540i with only 67,000 miles on it. It has so few miles on it because I never drive it in the snow and there is a lot of snow in Utah. I also try to take very good care of it and so as part of the maintenance I had the mechanic perform an inspection. There are two items he suggested I perform as preventative maintenance. Since it is for a BMW, the work won't be cheap and adds up to about $1000.
One important thing I want to point out is that I trust my mechanic. There are a number of mechanics I have gone to through the years and would not trust their recommendations. The difference between them and my current mechanic is that I have had the chance to see my mechanic's work over the past number of years. He also knows how much I take care of my car and knows that I want it to last for a long time.
Unfortunately my mechanic has been working out of his home garage for the past decade and just now put up a shop. There are no reviews to check and an online search would turn up very little information. In other words, a careful Internet search would keep a number of people from using him. So if you are looking for a trustworthy mechanic in the Salt Lake area, give Kevin a call and he will take care of you.
On Monday I will take my car back and let Kevin work on it while I am in the Bay Area. There is probably a lot I can add about preventative maintenance with your computer equipment but let's be honest: Computers are cheap compared to cars and you can replace them for a lot less than your car. So if you have the choice of buying a new tablet computer or doing a lube/oil/filter on your car, spend the money on your car. It will save you a lot more money later down the road (no pun intended).
One important thing I want to point out is that I trust my mechanic. There are a number of mechanics I have gone to through the years and would not trust their recommendations. The difference between them and my current mechanic is that I have had the chance to see my mechanic's work over the past number of years. He also knows how much I take care of my car and knows that I want it to last for a long time.
Unfortunately my mechanic has been working out of his home garage for the past decade and just now put up a shop. There are no reviews to check and an online search would turn up very little information. In other words, a careful Internet search would keep a number of people from using him. So if you are looking for a trustworthy mechanic in the Salt Lake area, give Kevin a call and he will take care of you.
On Monday I will take my car back and let Kevin work on it while I am in the Bay Area. There is probably a lot I can add about preventative maintenance with your computer equipment but let's be honest: Computers are cheap compared to cars and you can replace them for a lot less than your car. So if you have the choice of buying a new tablet computer or doing a lube/oil/filter on your car, spend the money on your car. It will save you a lot more money later down the road (no pun intended).
Monday, December 2, 2013
2013 Christmas List
It is the beginning of December and so I thought I would be a bit earlier than last year and put together my annual Christmas list. The idea is to give you an idea of what I would want for myself in the hopes that it gives you an idea for others on your shopping list this year.
Unfortunately computer and electronic gadgets have a tendency to be rather expensive. I try to include one or two low-cost items for that child that wants to get their parent something special. I will start low and then get more expensive. Hopefully there is something that fits everyone's budget.
Older Video Games - With the release of the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One, we are about to see a decline in the previous generation consoles. Fortunately those older systems still have a lot of life in them and you can find a number of older games for a really good price. This one requires a bit of searching on your part though. You will need to find what games are wanted but haven't been played yet. When I was at Best Buy over the weekend, there were a number of really great games for $19.95 or less. A good starting point is to figure out the genre: racing games, first person shooters, sports games, puzzles, etc. Then do an Internet search for popular games and read the reviews and you should be able to find something that will be enjoyed.
A Remote Control Helicopter - This was on my list last year and I still want one. My oldest son had one and had a great time with it until his roommate crashed and destroyed it. You can pick up a number of inexpensive models including the more powerful quadcopters.
Rocksmith - A few years ago, my wife picked me up a left-handed acoustic guitar. I played that thing every night for several months but became discouraged at my lack of progress. Taking a cue from the success of Guitar Hero, Ubisoft created a similar video game that actually teaches you how to play a real guitar. I mentioned this to my wife, but she got angry because she thinks I also want a new electric guitar. If you already have an acoustic guitar, all you need is an electronic pickup, which is really inexpensive and allows you to use your existing instrument with the game.
Bluetooth Speakers - I have some really nice over-the-ear headphones (which are also a really good Christmas-list idea) but sometimes I want to share my music. A nice bluetooth speaker would make a nice addition to my music hardware.
A New Monitor - This is not a gift I need at home as I have a couple of really nice monitors already. This is something I need at work. In the office, I have 4 monitors on my desk and they are all rather old. It would be nice to replace them all with a set of 24-inch matching monitors running at 1920x1080 resolution.
A New Tablet Computer - Not all tablets are created equal and my favorite one on the market now is the Xperia Z from Sony. Why do I like it so much? It is waterproof (they claim water resistant up to 3 feet for 30 minutes). This is one that you can take with you while you read in your hot tub. Should it accidentally fall in, no worries.
Non-Computer Gifts
This year I thought I would introduce some new gift ideas. I spend most days in front of a computer and this year I find myself looking at other ideas. At the end of the day, the last thing I want to do is spend more time with computer equipment. I have some other hobbies I would like to pursue. Perhaps you have someone in your life like me and so here are some other ideas.
Ratcheting Box Wrenches - I have been working on cars a lot lately. These in both Metric and SAE sizes would be greatly appreciated. Sears also has a nice set of Craftsman that are a bit more expensive, but have a better warranty.
Wire Arc Welder - I really want a MIG or TIG welder, but they are much more expensive. However I have not done any welding for the past 30 years as my only real experience was a shop class back in junior high. An inexpensive wire welder would give me the chance to learn how to weld using cheap scrap metal before I discover I have no talent at it. With all the work I am doing on cars lately, this may be a skill I need in the near future.
Previous Years
In compiling this list, I made sure to go through my previous Christmas lists and there are a number of gifts that are still valid.
2010 2011 2012
Now all I need to do is send an e-mail to my wife so she knows what I want this year. I found out over the weekend that she doesn't really know. This is a good start.
Unfortunately computer and electronic gadgets have a tendency to be rather expensive. I try to include one or two low-cost items for that child that wants to get their parent something special. I will start low and then get more expensive. Hopefully there is something that fits everyone's budget.
Older Video Games - With the release of the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One, we are about to see a decline in the previous generation consoles. Fortunately those older systems still have a lot of life in them and you can find a number of older games for a really good price. This one requires a bit of searching on your part though. You will need to find what games are wanted but haven't been played yet. When I was at Best Buy over the weekend, there were a number of really great games for $19.95 or less. A good starting point is to figure out the genre: racing games, first person shooters, sports games, puzzles, etc. Then do an Internet search for popular games and read the reviews and you should be able to find something that will be enjoyed.
A Remote Control Helicopter - This was on my list last year and I still want one. My oldest son had one and had a great time with it until his roommate crashed and destroyed it. You can pick up a number of inexpensive models including the more powerful quadcopters.
Rocksmith - A few years ago, my wife picked me up a left-handed acoustic guitar. I played that thing every night for several months but became discouraged at my lack of progress. Taking a cue from the success of Guitar Hero, Ubisoft created a similar video game that actually teaches you how to play a real guitar. I mentioned this to my wife, but she got angry because she thinks I also want a new electric guitar. If you already have an acoustic guitar, all you need is an electronic pickup, which is really inexpensive and allows you to use your existing instrument with the game.
Bluetooth Speakers - I have some really nice over-the-ear headphones (which are also a really good Christmas-list idea) but sometimes I want to share my music. A nice bluetooth speaker would make a nice addition to my music hardware.
A New Monitor - This is not a gift I need at home as I have a couple of really nice monitors already. This is something I need at work. In the office, I have 4 monitors on my desk and they are all rather old. It would be nice to replace them all with a set of 24-inch matching monitors running at 1920x1080 resolution.
A New Tablet Computer - Not all tablets are created equal and my favorite one on the market now is the Xperia Z from Sony. Why do I like it so much? It is waterproof (they claim water resistant up to 3 feet for 30 minutes). This is one that you can take with you while you read in your hot tub. Should it accidentally fall in, no worries.
Non-Computer Gifts
This year I thought I would introduce some new gift ideas. I spend most days in front of a computer and this year I find myself looking at other ideas. At the end of the day, the last thing I want to do is spend more time with computer equipment. I have some other hobbies I would like to pursue. Perhaps you have someone in your life like me and so here are some other ideas.
Ratcheting Box Wrenches - I have been working on cars a lot lately. These in both Metric and SAE sizes would be greatly appreciated. Sears also has a nice set of Craftsman that are a bit more expensive, but have a better warranty.
Wire Arc Welder - I really want a MIG or TIG welder, but they are much more expensive. However I have not done any welding for the past 30 years as my only real experience was a shop class back in junior high. An inexpensive wire welder would give me the chance to learn how to weld using cheap scrap metal before I discover I have no talent at it. With all the work I am doing on cars lately, this may be a skill I need in the near future.
Previous Years
In compiling this list, I made sure to go through my previous Christmas lists and there are a number of gifts that are still valid.
2010 2011 2012
Now all I need to do is send an e-mail to my wife so she knows what I want this year. I found out over the weekend that she doesn't really know. This is a good start.
Monday, November 11, 2013
The PS4 is Coming
This Friday the PlayStation 4 will be released. I am a PlayStation fan and so it is hard for me to gauge how big this release is going to be. I am wondering if there will be lines around the block Thursday evening with people waiting for units to go on sale at midnight or if nobody will care. I know large number of consoles have been presold before this weekend and Sony believes they are going to sell 5 million units before the end of March. Will that happen or is Sony as overly optimistic as I am?
Smartphones and tablets have changed the gaming industry. Why tether yourself to your TV when you can take a tablet and go anywhere to play games? I work at a video game company, yet I spend a lot of time playing a simple game on my iPhone. Do consoles gaming systems really matter any more?
I will have my new PlayStation 4 on Friday morning and my 17-year-old son has invited a lot of his buddies over that night to play games at our house. We will set up both of our PlayStation 3 consoles in another room to give others a chance to sample our extensive game library and connect the PS4 to our 60-inch flat screen coupled to our THX certified sound system. We will probably crank up the sub woofer so loud we will need to replace windows Saturday morning. I plan to be a fly on the wall Friday night. Only then will I be able to tell if Sony has a success. Stay tuned.
Smartphones and tablets have changed the gaming industry. Why tether yourself to your TV when you can take a tablet and go anywhere to play games? I work at a video game company, yet I spend a lot of time playing a simple game on my iPhone. Do consoles gaming systems really matter any more?
I will have my new PlayStation 4 on Friday morning and my 17-year-old son has invited a lot of his buddies over that night to play games at our house. We will set up both of our PlayStation 3 consoles in another room to give others a chance to sample our extensive game library and connect the PS4 to our 60-inch flat screen coupled to our THX certified sound system. We will probably crank up the sub woofer so loud we will need to replace windows Saturday morning. I plan to be a fly on the wall Friday night. Only then will I be able to tell if Sony has a success. Stay tuned.
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