Translate

Monday, July 30, 2012

Battery 101

Don't ever let your battery on the PlayBook go dead. The way the PlayBook is designed, if it get too low, you can't just plug it in and charge, it won't accept a charge. How to fix is then a problem.

The one method that seems to work the most is called 'stacked charging'. This involves plugging it in for 2 munites, unplug . Repeat. You may have to do this a lot. When the red led turns yellow, you should be able to charge. I have never had a dead battery, so I really can't say if this method works. The red led is at the top of the PlayBook, off left of center, if you hold it in landscape. The front facing camera is top off center right.


Friday, July 27, 2012

Made them Slutty Brownies

Took the easy route and used the tube cookie mix. Used muffin tins. I will say warm is better for serving. A little to rich. Pictures are from my PlayBook. I know, not very good pictures.

App World for the PlayBook

What can I say about App World and the apps that it has for the PlayBook? Not much. The games aren't so bad, I guess. Don't play games that often, so I can't really say. They do have Tetris for free. EA's Need for Speed is also free. As is Modern Combat 2.

But there is a lack of apps for the PlayBook.
No Skype
No Netflix
No Kindle
No VOIP
No SMS
No Shazam
No SoundHound
No Pandora
No Pinger
No Instagram
No Flipboard

Well, you get the picture.
I'm not sure if it is because of RIM not letting developers have an api or access to things like the camera. Or if it is the classic chicken and egg problem. But whatever it is, so be it. Not much I can do as I don't write code.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Skype on the PlayBook

Don't get a PlayBook if you want Skype.

While you can sideload the Android app for Skype on your PlayBook, it can't do video on Skype. The Android player doesn't have access to the cameras at this time.

If Skype is your thing, don't get the PlayBook.  Some people will say it is coming soon. But will it? Remember, buy what it can do today, not what it may do tomorrow, for tomorrow may never come.

Camera Shoot 1


This is a picture of the mountain range behind my house. Taken with my PlayBook.  It was not taken from my lot. Could not get a good shot from there. Too many things in the way. Taken up the street.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

GPS GPS

So now I'm home. I've been trying GPSInfo at my house for about five minutes. It just cannot get a lock on my location. There are some very tall trees in my neighbor's yard. A mountain range beyond that. And my lot is one of the lower points in the neighborhood. It must be my location.

On CrackBerry.com, people have complaints about the GPS. One of them is that it takes a long time to get your location. I thought I was one of them. But when I was able to get my location in a few minutes, I was surprised. The GPS was not as bad as people made it out to be, as long as you have a clear line of sight to the satellites. Which they say should being the southern skies.

GPSInfo is in App World for free. It doesn't need wifi to work.

Now I must admit, don't have a need for GPS. I live on a rock. 44 miles by 30 miles. Two mountain ranges. How you would get lost is beyond me. You go towards the mountain or you go towards the sea. Or you hug the coastline. It's not that hard. When people give you directions, they tell you to go towards something. It's quaint.

Yes, there is GPS on the PlayBook



I have tried many times from my house to get a GPS location with my PB, to no avail. I thought my GPS was not working. So using the GPSInfo app from App World, I was able to get my location. The great thing about this app is you don't need a wifi connection to get your location. And it took less then a minute. I'm at a McDonalds restaurant right now. If you want to know where look it up.



Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Nexus 7 Screen Problems

For me, the most important thing about a 7" tablet is the screen. A 7" tablet is a media consumption device. For me mostly video. That is why I have been paying attention to what people are saying about the screen. While everyone talks about the pixel density, people forget about color saturation or gray scales.

I had use of an early Kindle Fire and it seemed the screen was faded. My friend's Nook Tablet's screen was much better. That was not a side by side comparison. It was just me looking at the screen with no other reference screen. I have not seen the screen on the Nexus 7. But I have seen reviews that have said the screen was too dim. Now, a reviewer is saying while the screen on the Nexus 7 has many very good points, the gray scale is lacking. For me, it would be a reason not to get a Nexus 7 at this time.

So Mashable did a side by side of the Nexus 7 and a Samsung Galaxy 7 Tab 2. It is noticeable. Hopefully, it is fixable thru an update. If not, buyer beware.

Mashable Nexus 7 Display

Adobe Flash on the PlayBook

The PlayBook can play flash in it's browser. The funny thing is that it's video player can't. If you want to watch a video with a flv extension, you need to get an app from App World. There is a few flv players, just kinda weird that you would need to do it like that.

Not that I like flash that much. Steve Jobs was right to not include it for iOS. I find flash to be a process hog. On my laptop, sometimes flash will use 100% of my processor.  It just overwhelms my laptop. And those pop up ads are just annoying. and the quality of the video, compared to the size leaves a lot to desired. I know Adobe has stopped development of Flash for Mobile, which is good, time for something better.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

It Never Gets Better

CrackBerry.com is a good place to go to learn little things about your BlackBerry PlayBook. After reading some of the posts, you find people very disappointed by what the PB cannot do. Of course Skype and Netflix. That there is a lack of apps for the PlayBook.  That the updates that were promised have not arrived yet. And so on.

RIM may never had promised Skype, but there is talk, as I have never seen it, that just before launch, RIM had showed a picture of Skype on the PB. Not sure if it was just the Skype symbol. But RIM has delayed the promised updates, like is 2.0 came in February, though promised way before. Now, BB10, their new operating system for phones is listed for 1st quarter of 2013.

I'm not saying the PlayBook is a flawed product, all products are flawed. What I'm trying to say understand what you are buying. Know what it is and does right now. Don't listen to the promises. If it does what you want, great. If not, move on. Brings me to the link. A piece by Matt Buchanan, written for BuzzFeed.com. I loved it. Excellent advice.

It Never Gets Better

Friday, July 20, 2012

PlayBook Video Player

One of the best things about the PlayBook is the native video player. It plays wmv, avi, mkv, mkv, mp4 and m4v that I know for sure. Never read what it can play, but I have played these file extensions on my PlayBook.  I know for sure that PBs will not play ac3 audio files, so avi and wmv will play, but your will not have sound. The others will not play at all. Media not supported.

AC3 is a audio format from Dolby Laboratory. If the RIM wanted the PlayBook be able to decode ac3, they would have to buy a license for every device they sold that could play ac3. But on a tablet?  It could never play ac3, in 5.1 surround sound.

But it is not like an iPad or an android tablet could play it either. Not with their native video player. Yes, there are app work around in iOS and Android. But I'm just talking about the native player.

From my understanding, when iTunes sells you a HD movie, they put a aac and a ac3 track on you movie. Your iOS device will pass through the ac3 code and you television would decode it. If it can.

All movies that will play on an iPad should play on the PlayBook.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Nexus 7 Remix

Was reading THE VERGE. One of their Nexus 7 had a screen separation problem. Guess this is a common problem.  When I say common, I don't mean 10%, I presume much less. That is why I try not to be that early adopter. All launches , whether consumer electronics or cars, have more problems at launch then later in the product cycle. I remember reading Consumers Reports talking about the reliability of the Honda Odyssey. They had a graph showing how reliable the last year of the older model was to the first year of the redesigned model. It was noticeable. So, hopefully, as the build more, the quality will be better.

If you read the comments, there is a picture that someone says is of their Nexus 7. Not sure what it is, but it is interesting. Color bleed? Not sure what they call that.

Also have been reading that the screen is too dim. But it is a $200 tablet, and that might have been part of the cost. The other thing I have been reading is color saturation.  They had to choose something. I hope it is not like the Sony Trinitron thing. Sony television has a red tint I never liked. People said it gave a warmth. I just thought it looked terrible.  But that was just me.

Anyway,  here is a link for THE VERGE article. Read the comments.

THE VERGE

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Slutty Brownies

So Easy and More then a Little Filthy 

This recipe is just box cookie mix, Oreo brand cookies and box brownie mix. Lay the prepared cookie mix in a pan. Layer whole Oreo brand cookies on top. Pour the prepared brownie mix over. Bake. Sounds easy. I have had whole Oreo cookies in a baked dessert before, and they come out soft. Sounds like something that is best eaten warm. Here is a recipe I found using DuckDuckGo, my go to search engine. Support the little guys. 

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Nexus 7

My best friend called me yesterday. Told I had a PlayBook. But for him I would not recommend a PB. For him it would be a Nexus 7. He does have an Android phone, so he should be familiar with the Android platform which should make things easier on him. And he does not have a computer. Has a PS3.

If I were to buy tablet today, would I get the Nexus? No, I like the PlayBook, even though it has a lack of apps. I would also choose the PB over the new iPad, because of the size. I like the smaller size because of the portability factor, though I do wish the PlayBook was lighter.

The best review of the Nexus 7-
ARS Technica
Casey Johnston
Nexus 7



Video Streaming but no Netflix

Everybody wants Netflix. But you can't get it on the PlayBook. The browser on the PlayBook will play flash, Netflix uses Microsoft 's Silverlight. On the iOS devices, there is an app for streaming Netflix,  but the PB has not been graced with one. I have never used Netflix, must say, I don't care. And I forgot, Hulu also doesn't work.

ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC work. I have heard ESPN works, but you need to login with your cable account. Same for HBO. And of course you have YouTube.

This a screen capture from my PlayBook. Supernatural is my favorite tv show.

http://www.cwtv.com/cw-video/supernatural/season-7-time-for-a-wedding/?play=540ed133-a25d-4491-90ab-928259a6d94b


Skype not available

While the BlackBerry PlayBook has a 3mp front facing camera, it cannot do Skype. It's video chat application is not a cross platform app, so as of now, you can only talk with other PlayBook users.

Video web chatting is possible. I think the best is Airtime. It does use your Facebook account as a login, but iOS devices and Android devices can use it too. Of course Windows and Macs. But, it does say they record everything, because they are chatroulette without the junk.

The camera is on the front, top, center right. Center left is a red led to signify power.

I need to say that I don't need video chat or Skype. Never used it yet.

What am I Doing

Second attempt at writing a blog from my BlackBerry Playbook.  The first attempt I forgot to start by getting a new email adress, since I want to do almost everything from a PlayBook, verification for the email used my cell phone's sms.
Let's see how this plays out.