Happy Halloween 2025!

Tonight I am sitting by our front door answering it for all of the trick-or-treat kids in our neighborhood. Right now it is still the young kids and we always hand out glow-in-the-dark bracelets. The chemical kind that you get at night in amusement parks. My logic is that the lights will help the kids be more easily seen. As the night goes on, we will switch from young kids to older ones and they are more interested in candy and we have a giant bowl of that.

While handing out treats, I am also fixing a couple of technical problems. Tonight is probably the worst night to do that as I finally get a problem figured out and the doorbell rings. Fortunately I have solved two cumbersome issues and feel like I have accomplished something while still answering the door every couple of minutes.

While waiting for kids to come by this evening I noticed that our Amazon Show device had a really dim screen. I looked for an adjustment knob or button but there isn't one. As the device is supposed to understand verbal commands, I asked, "Alexa, how can I brighten the screen?" The device quickly replied, "Go into settings-appearance and adjust the brightness there." What a useless response, I thought as there are multiple setting menus on the stupid thing. Did I need to go into the settings on my wife's phone which controls the device? There is also a settings on the screen when you touch it. I started with the one on the screen. That only seemed to control where the pictures are coming from for the constant slide show we get to see.

I asked my wife for her phone. I went into the Alexa app and looked for settings to control the device. I couldn't find anything and so I headed back to the device. This time when I touched the screen on the Amazon Show, I noticed an icon that looked like a "V" at the top of the screen. That usually means to swipe down and so I did. It brought up yet a 3rd setup screen which had the appropriate controls for device brightness. I cranked it up a bit and now I can see the pictures clearly on the screen.

With the Amazon Show visible I thought I would sit down and crank out one more blog entry for the month. I had the option of going upstairs and getting my personal laptop, going downstairs and getting my work laptop, or using the Chromebook I keep on the desk next to the kitchen. Following the path of least resistance, I reached for the Chromebook. This turned out to be the most lengthy choice.

I opened the Chromebook and didn't see anything on the screen. Sometimes it can be a bit slow to respond but it needed to be turned on. I pressed the "On" button and saw that it had unexpectedly quit. I logged into my account on the device and it needed to do 2-factor authentication. Chrome being a product of Google likes to try to authenticate on our Android phone. I thought it would be simple as the desk by the kitchen is where we keep that phone. Unfortunately the first attempt didn't work and I got instructions similar to the ones from the Amazon Show. I ran through them without any luck only to have the doorbell ring from candy goblins. By the time I got back to the Chromebook and my phone, both had gone dark. I had to turn on the screens and discovered my Chromebook started the login process all over.

Fortunately when I entered my login information the Chromebook sent the MFA signal to my phone and I just had to confirm it was me logging in. I didn't need to follow any of the convoluted instructions that didn't match what I saw on the screen. As you can tell by this post, I solved the problem and used my Chromebook to write this post. Now it is time to go back to answering the door for the children in the neighborhood.

A New Phone, a New Chrombook, or a New Laptop

I have been working back at Sony for 6 months now and I need to make a change to my electronic tools. A few weeks ago I got stuck because an avalanche came across the road during my morning workout and I couldn't get home until 5:45pm that evening. I had some deliverables that I couldn't complete because of it. If I had my work e-mail on my phone, I could have gotten some of those deliverables done. Instead I had to work late into the evening and the entire next day, which was a Saturday.

I am reluctant to load my work e-mail on my personal phone because of all the notifications I get. Working for a Japanese company means I get a lot of alerts at weird hours of the day and I find myself not listening to any noise my smartphone makes. When I have a work phone that is different from my personal phone, I find it easier to catch important work events as well as personal ones. I have found an inexpensive smartphone that does everything I need it to for around $325. Should I get it?

I also find that my Chromebook has slowed to a crawl. It is almost getting to the point where it is becoming unusable. I have had it for quite a few years and so I recently looked at getting a new one. I found 2 or 3 that would be significant improvements for only $225. Don't ask me why a phone is smaller than a Chromebook but costs more. That's just the way things work. So should I get one of those?

As I think about the Chromebook and if I should replace my existing one, I am wondering if I would be better suited by a new personal laptop. I would say that I can do about 85% of what I need with the less expensive device and I always have my desktop computer when I need it. However the laptop would be more usable and last significantly longer than a Chromebook. Should I get a new laptop?

I'm not sure what the best choice is right now. Should I get a new phone or just load my work e-mail on my personal phone? Should I get a new Chromebook or a new laptop? Finally, should I not do a single thing and just working along without spending any money? Let me think about it and I'll let you know what I decide.

My New Work Laptop

I have been at my current company for 2 months now and that has given me plenty of time to run my new work-provided laptop through its paces. It is a Dell Latitude 5320 and nothing special. It has an Intel i5 processor with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB hard drive. A simple description would be that it works for my daily activities as the director of software engineering.

Earlier in my career I did a lot of software development and this machine would not be nearly powerful enough. Now I do a lot of management tasks and that doesn't require a powerful machine. Truth be told, I could probably get by with a powerful Chromebook but I do like having a full-functioning computer. I do a lot of Microsoft Teams meetings and I use the camera a lot. I also use the computer for e-mail and I like having a full Microsoft Outlook client on my machine. That gives me the option to compose responses to e-mail while I am not connected to the Internet even though I have never had the need to do so.

That last sentence is very common when we think about what we want in a computer. While we may never use a feature, we want that option. Unfortunately it leads to wanting a machine that is more expensive than what we really need. Understanding that and being able to recognize it can ultimately save some serious money.

Another shift that has happened in the last few years is the idea of creating a document and storing it on your own computer. Now I am more apt to store a document on Google Drive or Microsoft's OneDrive as it is significantly easier to share. A document can be either a spreadsheet, word processing document, or presentation file. As they are stored somewhere other than my local machine, I don't need a large hard drive. If I did, I could always add an external drive and I have several laying around my office.

Honestly I never would have thought such a low-end laptop would work for me but I have to admit that it is. Should I need something a little more powerful, I can always go to our IT department and request it. For now that isn't necessary.

Chromebook vs. Laptop

Yesterday I returned from a week-long trip to visit my son in Ohio. I still have not found a full-time job and so I am looking. As I don't have a laptop from my employer that I would normally use on such a trip, I took my Chromebook and used it instead. I have to say that I would have preferred a laptop but the Chromebook did well and met all of my needs.

I really had only two use cases for a computer on my trip: reading e-mail and applying to jobs. For reading e-mail, there is no real difference between a laptop and a Chromebook. I use a browser to access my e-mail and it works the same on both devices.

I wasn't sure I would be able to apply for jobs as easily on my Chromebook. Before leaving on my trip, I uploaded a copy of my resume to my Google Drive so I could access it on the road. I probably should have also uploaded a sample cover letter but forgot. My job search on the road consisted of going through new job postings that appeared in my e-mail and applying to the ones that I am qualified to fill and find  interesting.

Those that have had to search for a new job know that it is best to tailor your resume for each posting. I could modify the resume in Google Drive using Google Docs. Then when it came time to upload the job-specific resume, I told the job application website that I would upload it from a file. In ChromeOS, there is an option to use a Google Drive file just as if it is located on the device even though it isn't. I could also do the same with each cover letter. In my case, I had to create the first one from memory but could then reuse it for each successive company making sure to modify it accordingly.

While everything worked technically, the real proof of success is in the fact that I managed to get three different screening interviews during the trip, one of which is a direct result of submitting an application while traveling. That is equal to my results using my desktop computer at home. I have to say that the Chromebook worked well.

The only problem I had with the Chromebook during the trip is when I couldn't connect to the WiFi network at the Detroit airport. After trying for a few minutes, I turned my phone into a hotspot and connected to it. Then I could respond to e-mails for phone interviews. I only needed it for a few minutes and everything worked fine.

As I mentioned at the start, I would have preferred a true laptop computer. However the Chromebook is significantly less expensive and did everything I needed it to do on this trip. I just needed to plan ahead a bit. If my regular workflow was to habitually keep all of my documents on Google Drive, I would not have needed to do anything differently.

Comforts

Today I had an interesting discussion with my oldest son's wife about comfort blankets we carry as adults. Her dad has spent the last two and a half years in the Philippines and she laughed at some of the things he brought with him. Today's conversation started with the 31 pairs of pants he brought and then she talked about a patch of turf he brought from one of his favorite football stadiums. I mentioned that he probably brought it because it is a source of comfort. Her own two kids carry blankets whenever they come to stay at our house for the same reason. She agreed.

We then talked about comforts others carry. Mine is my laptop. I feel a lot of insecurity when I travel without one. As I don't have one at the moment due to being between jobs, I have been carrying a Chromebook I got for free that is quickly reaching its end of life. Sure I could use my phone to do the same things but I really like having a full-sized keyboard. When I visited my youngest son in Ohio last month, I didn't need to bring a computer but I still carried that Chromebook with me.

My daughter-in-law remarked that her smartphone is her comfort. She says that she justifies it as a means for others to communicate with her but it also helps with any anxiety she may have. My son agrees and believes his phone serves the same purpose as his son's and daughter's blankets.

So think about it. What is your source of comfort? What is something you will take with you when you travel to sooth anxiety or provide some level of comfort? I'm sure we all have something even if it is a favorite pair of shoes.

Preferred Device for Video Conferencing

I have quite a few computers available to me at home. Currently I am posting this blog using my desktop computer. I also have a Chromebook that I keep near the kitchen. Sadly I no longer have my laptop since I have left Sony PlayStation. They made me give that back. I am reluctant to purchase a new one for myself as I am actively interviewing and will let my new employer get one for me. I am tempted, however, to go get one and then give it to my wife once I start the new gig. My reason for doing so? I am attending a lot of video conferences and my device of choice is a good laptop.

I have a great camera set up on my desktop computer. It does a great job but has one fatal flaw: where do I put it? My desktop computer is connected to a 43-inch 4K monitor. If I put the camera below the monitor, it looks straight up my nose. If I put it on top of the monitor, you can see a huge reflection from my bald head. If I put it to either side, it looks like I am staring off and not paying attention to anyone in the video conference. Basically there is no good place for the camera. That doesn't keep me from using it though. In case you are wondering, I have gone for the up-the-nose look.

I have used my Chromebook for a few video conferences but it is really under powered. I keep getting popups from the various video conferencing software saying that I need to shutdown other applications. The sad thing is that I don't have anything else running. I have thought about upgrading the Chromebook but the choices make it very confusing. A high-end Chromebook is more than a cheap refurbished laptop which will do a lot more.

I suppose I could use a mobile phone as well but the reality is that I loved using my laptop for video conference calls. If I didn't want to take the call in my office, I could bring it to the living room. When I was in Hawaii, I even took a few calls from the Lanai. I didn't even have to use a fake backdrop.

Fortunately my wife really does need a new laptop. Christmas is coming too. Do you think it is bad if I get a laptop for a month and then put it under the tree as a gift for my wife? I should probably add some jewelry there too.

Using my Chromebook with my Ham Radio

Last weekend I had the pleasure of staying up all Friday night and helping with the Wasatch 100 ultra marathon. It is something my wife and I do every year around this time. We volunteer our evening and help provide the race officials with the times that runners enter and leave our checkpoint at the 63-mile mark known as Scott's Peak.

I have a portable ham-radio box that contains 2 different radios. One radio we use to communicate with race officials using voice. The second radio is connected to some additional equipment that allows us to send data to a server. Using both radios allows a lot of flexibility. Rather than tie up the airwaves speaking racer numbers and times, we just enter that into the computer and transmit it more efficiently. We still make a few mistakes and have to correct them but it is a lot better than doing everything by voice.

In years past, I have used a full-blown laptop as the computer to connect with the ham radio. This is because I have needed special software to interface everything. I started noticing others talk about using tablet computers and figured I could probably get away with using my Chromebook. While my laptop has a good 5-hour battery life, my Chromebook has more than 3 times that amount.

Using some spare time over Labor Day weekend, I connected my Chromebook to my radio gear and worked through all of the bugs to get everything functioning properly. I had to run through a number of different terminal programs as some will not interface directly with my USB connection but eventually I found one that worked. After using it for the evening, I will try to find something else for next year as it did have a problem or two. The most glaring one is that I could not set the backspace key to control-h like the radio software expected. Any time I made a mistake typing, I had to use the control-backspace combination and sometimes that didn't work. Given a bit more time, I'm sure I could have found a terminal program that worked better and will look into that for next year. On the PC I can just use Putty.

I have to say that I am happy I did a bit of playing around before the race. My Chromebook is significantly less expensive and much lighter than my laptop. It worked almost as well and we got our runner times entered efficiently. I wonder what I can do next year to improve our setup? I'm sure I will come up with something.

Chromebook Update

About a month ago I wrote about a new Chromebook that a company sent me for free. Since then it has been in my family room, next to the kitchen. I have to say that it has been used non-stop by the family. It really only has one purpose: a web browser and it does it very well.

I came home from California before Thanksgiving and needed to look something up. I opened the screen and saw that my wife had used the Chromebook to look up a recipe for Polenta. I found that fitting as that is what I said it would get used for last month. The family also uses it for a number of other things as well. I used it to help figure out what tires to put on my wife's Jeep Wrangler. Throughout the Thanksgiving break, we used the device whenever anyone had a question that nobody else could answer. Need to know how late a store is open? Just do a quick Internet search and look it up.

Yesterday my youngest son grabbed the Chromebook and did some quick Christmas shopping. When he finished, he remarked that the device makes a great addition to the family room and thinks it makes a great family computer. Of course he wouldn't want to give up his laptop with all its capabilities but having a device for everyone to use to do quick look ups is very convenient.

I closed last month's review of the device stating that I probably wouldn't spend money on one because I prefer my laptop. After having used it for a while, I have changed my opinion and think the device is well worth the $200 price. I would also suggest that if you are looking for an inexpensive family gift to consider one. Especially if you need to replace the family computer that is really only used to search the web.

My New Toy: An HP Chromebook 11 G5

Last week I received a package in the mail at work that contained a laptop sleeve. Included with it was a note from a vendor that told me how to get a Chromebook that fits perfectly in the sleeve. I thought about not contacting them because I knew it would involve a sales call. Then they guys around me at work actually thought talking to this vendor would be well worth our time. I submitted my information and soon received an e-mail from our sales representative. It is someone that I have had frequent contact with and so we set up a meeting to talk and catch up. That meeting happened yesterday and actually went very well.

I got home late last night from the Bay Area and my HP Chromebook 11 G5 was waiting for me on my desk. This morning I pulled it out and started playing with it. In order to use the device, you need to connect it to the Internet. That didn't take too long. Next I pulled up YouTube and played a video of one of my favorite songs. The speakers are not too bad considering the size of this very inexpensive device. Next I did a search to see what you can do with a Chromebook.

Over a decade ago I worked for an Oracle spin-off called Network Computer that later changed its name to Liberate Technologies. We created a Network Computer which is exactly what a Chromebook is now. If only we had continued refining our idea instead of going after the set-top box market, the company might still be around.

I have spent about an hour playing with this very functional device and think it is well worth the price I paid for it (free). If you are someone that uses your computer to read e-mail and surf the web, a Chromebook is a very inexpensive option with mine having a suggested price of around $200. I actually like it more than my Samsung tablet I got for free several years ago. Part of that is because of the keyboard included with the device. I also prefer using a mouse over a touchscreen. I hate fingerprints on my screen.

So would I run out and get a Chromebook? No, but only because I have a laptop that I don't mind carrying around. So what am I going to do with this free gift? I am going to put it in my kitchen for when my wife wants to look up recipes or one of the kids wants to surf the net. It is replacing a very old desktop computer that stopped working recently. I expect it will work quite well.