Bogieblog

Future Style

You've seen them in futuristic movies, you've seen limited use in commercials. Pretty soon, I'm guessing, they'll be in general use; glasses that make our electronic gadgets hands free. That means we can take photographs while driving or carrying in the gorceries, without holding a camera, phone or other device. People will be making phone calls, writing in their diaries (or blogs), adding items tp their grocery and to-do lists, all thru the use of these glasses.

I don't kow whether to think that it's a great invention that will keep us from having pocket loads of stuff with us, or to be totally aghast at what is going to be distracting drivers and people walking the aisles in the grocery stores.

Blogger Book Sale

Forgot to mention that John Eddy (part time blogger on Weekend Pundit) has a special price on the Kindle/Nook versions of Methuselah's Daughter for only 99 cents. I downloaded my copy from Amazon (I can read such things off my phone when in line at the store) - I would assume you can download your copy from whatever is your favorite retailer. Really, for 99 cents, you can't go wrong.

I'm unsure of how long this special will last, so download today to ensure you get the best price and help him raise money for insurance for his youngest.

Face Booking It

I created a Face Book acount 5-6 months ago as I wanted to see some pictures from a friend, and I couldn't without being a member. In my first post there, I explained what I was doing, and I would be doing all my posting on my blog.

Thursday I got on to my FB account for only the second time and found that I had friend invites from 5 people (all of them months old). All were from family members and friends, so I accepted, finally.

And before you ask, no, I didn't get the emails telling me of the friend requests. Why? Because I gave them another email account that is only used by that - something I didn't think I ever needed to monitor. So now I guess I have to monitor that one too - 3 email accounts I have to keep up with. Fortunately my phone has several different email programs; I didn't like either of the 2 that came with it, so downloaded K-9 Mail, which is what I use for my normal, every day, email (you can get it thru the Android Marketplace too). I don't really have to monitor the blog email, so that is done thru the desktop anyway. I set up one of the crappy mail apps that came with the phone for the FB mail account so I don't miss anything important.

So, now I guess I need to post to FB every once in a while. Somehow I just don't get their layout at all. I had one conversation from my SIL (she asked me a question) and I couldn't for the life of me find it on the site. I finally had to respond from the email I got - and FB is the poplular method of communication why? Blogs seem so much more user friendly and intuitive.

Guess I'm just showing how flexible I am not.

Sometimes They Do Listen

The local radio station hasn't advertised the IHeartRadio app for several weeks. This morning, on my way in to work, they started advertising it again. I figured that meant that they had a new version out, so I went to the app download page and saw that it is up to version 4.0.2, with "bug fixes", and downloaded the app.

Clear Channel must have gotten enough negative feedback that they performed bug fixes because this time it is working. Haven't used it but a couple of minutes (am listening to it now), so can't say it works as well as the old version did, but it is a huge leap forward over the version I couldn't get to load at all!

Dropping Phones (Not Phone Dropages)

For those of you trying to decide between an IPhone and a Samsung Galaxy SII, maybe this will help make u your mind.

Disclaimer: I have a Galaxy S, not the same phone, but very close. I don't know if the test is repeatable. Nobody paid me in any way, shape, or form to post this. Oh, and I don't give a rat's ass which phone you decide on, I just needed something to blog about!

Good App, Bad App

I downloaded the IHeartRadio app for Android to my phone because a couple of local stations (with the morning show I like to listen to) can be accessed thru that app. I listen to the morning show at work, but some of the machines interfere with the reception on my Walkman (like an IPod, only by Sony, much cheaper, and has a radio feature) so at times the sound is all crackly. The app worked great and I loved the crisp clear sound I got.

About 2months ago, the radio station started advertising the new IHeartRadio app, with all kinds of improvements. I resisted, but then about 3 weeks ago I downloaded the upgrade. The upgrade, like some computer programs, unloaded the first version, then loaded the new version.

I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO DISAPPOINTED IN AN APP! the thing does not work - literally. It hangs while loading the permissions. I thought maybe it was me. So, I updated my phone firmware. Tried it again. No dice. Then, I looked and saw that the app (which had previously sported 4.5 stars out of 5 from thousands of users) was suddenly getting 1 star from hundreds of users. It is not me, for a change.

I have left feedback at the app site and at the radio station. And it isn't as simple as downloading another radio app, because owners of radio companies(in this case, ClearChannel) decide which app will carry their stations (or the companies create their own apps - I'm not clear on this). But the point is, I've tried several apps, but I can't access the two local stations that I listen to.

Anyway, this is a word of warning for anyone contemplating downloading this particular app on an Android phone - stay away, it sucks!

Help with Androids

Just in case anyone needs it, there is an Android device forum. I haven't had a chance to really look at it, but from what I've seen, it should be helpful for newbies and those with issues.

New Phone

I finally joined the 2nd decade of this century and traded in my old basic flip phone for an Android phone.

Love the navigator - which is one of the main reasons for upgrading. Used it on Tuesday, when I had to run into Chelsea, MA.

This post is being made through the phone too (during lunch of course). Doesn't mean I'll post any more than before, but is kind of cool.

Learning by Accident

Found something strange (or at least, I thought it was strange). While working with documents at work that I knew should be displaying a “Draft” watermark, there was no watermark. Additionally, when I tried to add the watermark, all the selections showed no images (the titles for the selections were there, but no graphics showed).

I tried opening other documents that I knew were watermarked, and nothing showed. I Googled the issue and found nothing (thankfully, I only spent a couple of minutes on it). Then I decided to do something radical, I plugged in the laptop to an outlet. Magically, the watermark appeared, as did the images for watermark selections. I then unplugged it, and the watermark gradually faded away.

I usually plug the laptop in, but decided to let the battery run down a bit to give it some “exercise”, and not having experience with laptops at work (only at home, where I don’t use watermarks), didn’t realize that the computer would try to conserve battery life in this manner.

The things one learns by accident.

Don't Send Me Email

If you get an email that says "Please Read" and it is about how Congress Critter's children don't have to repay their student loans, delete it, don't pass it on to anyone, but especially don't pass it to me!

I have received this one several times today (even from WS and his sister!). Sure, Buffy sent it last week, but she checked and found that it was a hoax, so sent an email appologizing for it, and telling everyone to disregard it.

Everyone else that I am getting it from, doesn't perform any due diligence before, or after, the fact. anyway, just in case you are curious, here are a couple of links that explain that this is a hoax: from Snopes, from FactCheck.

Thank you for your attention, we now return to our regularly scheduled program.