Blog Archives
Yahoo! Wish List Live
Have you ever tried to get a username on an email service but it was unavailable and you ended up with some lame name with a bunch of numbers at the end? Yahoo though so and has setup a program where they are releasing a bunch of inactive usernames on their site so people who want to use these names can. There are a few problems with this but if you really want to use Yahoo mail or had an account that you don’t use much on Yahoo you should check this out.
You can now enter up to five usernames to request and an existing email address and you may get the name in a month if you were the first to request it and then claim it. I would think they are also letting people who didn’t know that they were doing this to be able to reclaim usernames within this month if you haven’t logged in, in over a year. So get logging in and keep your names.
But if you want a new name go to wishlist.yahoo.com and put in some names to see if you can get something better. I did my name and my online name because I had to use an altered version of it even years ago when I signed up for a Yahoo account.
One thing to think about this, if you use an old account that you haven’t logged into for over a year and this account is a backup for other services this may open you up to having password resets sent to other people or scammers. While Yahoo says they have a fix for this by looking at the headers, all that sounds like is a bunch of garbage, because the headers don’t have any information to identify that the old account user was asking for a reset and not the new user.
My advice is to reactivate old accounts as soon as you can and log into all accounts on not only Yahoo but Hotmail, Google, AOL and others so you don’t lose your accounts. Then if you want a better name go to the wish list page and add some names and a current email address so you can try to get a name that is better for you. Also when you are looking at your accounts look for the backup email address and keep that to a current address that you check regularly so if you need to reset your password or scammer is trying to reset your account you will get notified and you can take steps to fix it. I think reusing usernames is nice but has major security problems along with an unfair action to people who may not use it all that much.
Ubuntu for Phones Preview
The developers of the popular Linux distribution Ubuntu have showed off an Android based phone OS with no JavaVM running on a Galaxy Nexus phone today. From first look it’s got some slick things that make the UI different from normal Android like swiping from edges to open menus and information, kind of stealing this from how Windows 8 works. From hands on videos it is very slow and things lag when opening. Of course this a early release but it’s nothing impressive.
On the website they show a block with app icons and just say “Go make us apps” using HTML5/Native, but lots of those like Gmail and YouTube would never make it to this OS natively just look at the large number of full on Android devices that don’t get support for Google Apps. So its very misleading to people thinking this would be cool to have because somehow it’s going to be more open then Android.
The one think I ask is what is the point, right now the big 3 are Android, iOS, and BlackBerry, with BlackBerry slowly dying away and Windows Phone not even something that anyone is looking at. This sounds like a lot of extra resources that could be put into making Android better, or making Ubuntu work better on the desktop. There is also Ubuntu TV but don’t expect much from that ether, their may be money in these markets but trying to do your own thing won’t work out or you will get people who get one of these devices and wonder why they can’t get the apps there friends on Android have.
Check out some photos to see what it looks like but don’t hold your breath for this becoming more than a waste of our time. If any new phone OS had any chance other than Android and iOS it would be Windows Phone just because they have the money to lose. And as we have seen from other Phone OS’s such as WebOS and even Windows Phone, just because you are different or have some special features it all comes down to getting things working together and getting lots of phones running it.
If this sounds harsh, it’s just true that you shouldn’t expect much to come from this.
Facebook for Android now Native
Facebook announced the new Android app that runs in native code and not as a HTML5 web based app that it used to. By doing this it should run much faster and give them the ability to add more features that are part of the Android API. The app should load faster and run much smoother, I noticed that once images were loaded on my Galaxy Nexus scrolling thorough the time line was much easier. Also the images are loaded as you view them in the time line so they open right away and can be zoomed, liked or commented on right away without that annoying loading spinner. Also if you load a friend’s time line you should see a speed improvement.
I got it as an auto update when I got on WiFi but if you don’t have that on go get the update from the Play Store and you should be happy with the speed improvements of using native code.
Google Maps for iOS Available
For all you iPhone users out there who got screwed over by Apple not getting along with Google and building a junkie maps app you can now be happy again Google has released Google Maps for iPhone today! This build includes the fast loading vector-based maps that are smooth and can be rotated just like on Android or the web. There is also turn-by-turn navigation, live traffic, public transit information, and Street View. They also added information about businesses including phone numbers, photos, and reviews.
If you are a developer you can use the Google Maps SDK for iOS and URL scheme so you can use the maps in your apps. It is available in the App Store for iPhone, iPod Touch 4th gen running iOS 5.1 or higher and in more than 40 countries and in 29 languages. Check out the video below for a promotion video that shows none of the maps 😀
Verizon still Not Blocking Block on Google Wallet
Looks like Verizon is still at its “were not blocking Google Wallet but you can’t use it because we are blocking it” tricks again. Looks like a letter sent to the FCC about it shows they are still blocking it because they say it uses a “secure element” in the device. This sounds funny because when Google Wallet came out they said it was insecure and they didn’t want it for that reason, now they are saying sorry it’s too secure and you can’t use it.
But what this boils down to, Verizon is building their own mobile payments system and will most likely be using the same “secure element” in the phone and made so you can’t uninstall it unless you root and rip it out. I have Google Wallet on my rooted Galaxy Nexus and it works just fine, of course it says it’s not a supported device being a Verizon phone and rooted. Too bad Google doesn’t just make it available on the Play Store and disregard the block Verizon is putting on it.
Kindle Fire HD – Mini Review
My Field Trip took me on to see the Kindle Fire HD that was setup, and it made me happy I have a Nexus 7 tablet. It did have some store app showing how things worked and I closed that because I don’t need it, and I went in to seeing how things looked.
The first thing I could see was that when swiping through the apps and content it would stutter and wasn’t all the smooth. This should be something that would always be nice since people are going to do that first thing. So I took note of how it was not performing well and went on.
I saw Cut the Rope was installed and having played it on my Nexus 7 though it would be a good comparison. But again the system was very slow to load the game; it took almost 30 seconds to load and also took some time to load the level. The game performed as it should and seems fine but the low-speed had made me not so interested in the device. I also was seeing that the price was just too close to a Nexus 7 where I could get a full Android experience.
With the modified Android OS that Amazon hides you miss out on a lot of things that the content doesn’t always make up for. Mostly missing those Google Apps that just add the full experience you would want such as good email, maps, and even the Google Now search that is way better than anything Siri can give you.
I would not recommend one of these for someone looking for a mid-sized tablet especially when you can get the Nexus for the same price but with more power and a better app selection. You do miss out on the Amazon Prime video and books but you can make up for that by getting the Amazon Kindle App and Netflix.
Acer C7 Chromebook
More Chromebooks are out this time a new one from Acer and is only $199. That’s an amazing price for a laptop, while it is a glorified web browser it is still a great deal. A few weeks ago Google put out the Samsung Chromebook for $249 that had an ARM processor but this one from Acer has a Dual-Core Intel Celeron Processor and a 320GB hard drive. Not sure how open the platform is you could probably put Linux or Windows 7 on this could be fun.
But for it running ChromeOS it seems like a good enough device and also has that cool deal of getting 100GB Google Drive for 20 years. There is also a set of 12 GoGo Inflight Internet connections included along with both HDMI and VGA connectors so you can have more than one screen. If you’re looking for a second or even third laptop for say your kids or just to have around these Chromebooks may be a good way to get it on the cheap.
| Screen | 11.6″ 1366×768 |
| Thickness + Weight | 1″ + 3 lbs. |
| Battery | 3.5 hours |
| processor | Dual-Core Intel Celeron |
| Storage | 320GB HDD + 100GB Google Drive |
| Network | Dual Band WIFI + Ethernet |
| Camera | HD Camera |
| Ports | 3x USB 2.0, 1x HDMI, 1x VGA |
Google Helps People Vote TODAY! 2012
Google has made a big effort to help people find information about the 2012 Elections in the United States, this includes there YouTube page that has had lots of live video events along with video from major news networks on the Elections. But one of the things that I found interesting is how not only are they providing information on who you can vote for, but helping people find out where they can vote. On Google+ they reported that voter information data has been accessed over 16 million times.
While they do have some problems with the YouTube page today, I was able to load it up but live video and normal YouTube clips did not load in the page they would load on the standard page for that video. It also seems as the comment feed on the election page was stuck at over an hour old.
I was able to use the Google voting location tool to fine where I needed to go vote and also find more info on things I would have to vote on. At the voting location there was a line at 8:45 AM MST, and only took 10 minutes to get in. Then waited to have my address updated and went to the electronic voting systems. They used some kind of combination of paper print outs, a block that had some kind of near field wireless data transfer and a touch screen that was not as good as a phone or tablet touch screen. After you voted on each person it would print a log that showed up next to the screen, and then when you did finish voting it would show it and real that paper into the back of the voting device. I was of course almost more interested in the technology then the voting going on. Then when you were done a person would take that block with what seemed to store the data back to another system to unload the data and clear it for the next use.
Either way you vote its cool to see that you can get more information online than ever, it was surprising when looking at things I would vote on who many of the people didn’t have good websites or any at all. Get out and vote and if you can comment on your experience with electronic voting or if you are one that doesn’t like the idea of it.
Google Nexus: Ask Me Anything
A new video from Google shows off the Nexus 10, Nexus 7, and Nexus 4 and how you can use Google Now to search for information. Check it out below or on the YouTube Page.
Google / LG Nexus 4
Google had an announcement canceled by the weather but they still put out the new devices including this Nexus 4 phone, the Nexus 10 and an update to the Nexus 7. While there was some leaks of what this new Nexus 4 phone would be here is the real info. It is a 4.7″, quad-core, wireless charging, and Android 4.2 devices. Wow lots in one sentence but they also updated some apps too such as a new swipe type keyboard called “Gesture Type” so you just run your finger over the letters to spell words, and a new camera app “Photo Sphere” that lets you do panoramas that go up and side to side.
This phone will come in two sizes an 8GB and 16GB but at a great prices unlocked on GSM/HSPA+ networks starting at only $299 and $349 making this easy to get if you are in a contract but want a new devices. There is no LTE but HSPA+ is fast enough right now, and there are so many different LTE bands out right now you would have to put some more expensive chips in and that would drive the price up probably $100+. There is also the added SlimPort HDMI connection that is new. If you’re on a GSM network this looks like a good upgrade and it’s nice to be on the cutting edge of what other phone makers will add to their Android phones next year. There isn’t much information on the wireless charging yet but the make note of it on the Play Store website, most likely this will be an added $40-60 for the charging mat and isn’t included in the box. Will keep an eye out for accessories, but this would still be a good phone to get.
| Screen with Gorilla Glass 2 | 4.7″ 1280×768 resolution |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro |
| Cameras | 8MP back, 1.3 front |
| Network | Unlocked GSM/UMTS/HSPA+ |
| Memory | 8GB + 16GB / 2GB RAM |
| Connections | Micro USB, SlimPort HDMI, 3.5mm headphone |
| Wireless | Wireless Charging, Wifi, NFC, Bluetooth, GPS |
| Battery | 2,100 mAh Lithium |
| OS | Android 4.2 Jelly Bean |
| Sensors | Microphone, Compass, Ambient light |
