Me and My Orphans

This week, Barnes and Noble announced that they will stop manufacturing color tablets. Then, a few days later, BlackBerry said that BB10 will not be ported to the PlayBook. Both announcements basically making my 2 tablets orphans.

As for the Nook HD +, I expected that Barnes and Noble would exit the tablet business, as the price cut was quite steep. And sales have been disappointing.  I still would recommend the Nook HD + to people who don't need video chat. It is a good tablet for the price and for people who are not sure if a tablet is right for them.

As for the PlayBook, I do feel sorry for people who paid full price for one. I paid $200 for mines. I have never regretted my decision. At the time, November 2011, it was the best tablet for me. Not sure what I would use a tablet for. Turns out, mostly reading news articles, watching videos (not too much streaming videos), paying bills and ordering things online. I do write this blog using my PlayBook. I have played videos onto a LCD HDTV, using the micro HDMI out, but not often.

I do wish the PlayBook had certain apps. The most wanted for me is a text/sms app. But other people want Skype and Netflix. Also nice would be a good VoIP app. When your phone dies, it is helpful to be able to make calls and text. Using a tablet to make a phone call may look stupid, but at least you could do it if needed.

For most people looking for a tablet, I would recommend a iPad, if they can afford it. I find Android has a less apps for tablets iOS. Would not recommend a Nexus 7, as I don't like the screen too much and quality control issues. I would never recommend a Kindle Fire, to locked down to Amazon.

Even though my tablets are orphans, The still have life in them. They might not be the fasted, have all the bells and whistles, but they do what I need and that is all that matters.

Two words of advice. Buy what you need. Buy on what it is and not what will be.

Uncompressor App does Muiltifile RAR Archives

Not paying attention, Uncompressor for the PlayBook can now extract muiltifile RAR archives. I have used it a couple of times with no problems. I really enjoy being able to download RAR files and extract them on the PlayBook.

I will confess to having one file that I was not able to extract using the Uncompressor app. Can't say if I didn't have enough space on the PB at the time or something else. I was able to use my Windows XP laptop to extract the file. The file was over 1 GB, though I don't think that maters.

Using the Kingston Wi-Drive to Download

Really started using alot more. Mostly trying to figure out the best way of using it for a trip. I have streamed from the Wi-Drive to the PlayBook. It works fine, the Kingston does get warm. But you can't stream on a plane flight and stated battery life is only 4 hours. Can't say for sure how long battery life is, I have never tested mines. But I figured the best use would be to download the videos (or music) to the PlayBook.

To use the Wi-Dive on the PlayBook, you need to use the browser. Enter http://192.168.200.254/ into the browser, when you are connected to the Wi-Drive. It will stream any file that a PlayBook uses, but you can download that file. Using the PlayBook touch screen, touch and hold the file and up posted a menu and click "save link as". Downloading should begin. And it is pretty fast.

On the HTC One V, you can go to Google Play and download an app from Kingston, Wi-Drive. It will let you download from the app. I downloaded music to the One V. It was very simple.

In both devices , you do need to connect the wifi to the Wi-Drive's signal.

iOS devices also have an app in Apple's App Store. But that app will not download the files, I have read. I think, and I will try later, you could use a download manager to download the files. It would be like using the PlayBook, I would think. Use a browser. There are many download managers in the App Store.

Screen shot of PlayBook connected to Wi-Drive, trying to download a file.

QMplayer for BlackBerry PlayBook

If you go into App World and search for QMplayer, you find a free app. It is free, but it is really a free trial. Which is good, for at least you get to try it. Unlike Remote Media Player or AutoPlay Video, which are more like skins for the native video player, this seems to be a video player itself.

It has some interesting features, like swiping to change volume, fast forward, reverse, video playback speed, or audio playback speed. It plays more types of video, though during my free trail phase, I didn't have a chance to test what files it could play.

Not sure if QMplayer has anything to do with Mplayer. Not even sure what Mplayer is.

But it has a free trial period, I forgot how long. Try it out, see if you like it. If you do, buy it. I didn't,  as I like Remote Media Player better. More choices are better.

Hopes and Dreams

Been having a little trouble with my BlackBerry Playbook rapid charger. A couple of times, I have attached the connecter to the PlayBook and seen the charging symbol displayed. I then come back an hour later and it had not charged. In fact, the amount charged went down. I hope this rapid charger is not defective. Not sure what is happening, maybe that is why I got is for $15.

WatchMore from App World

WatchMore is a paid app from App World. I had bought it a few months ago. It is supposed to be able to convert an ac3 audio file into a playable file for your PlayBook. No, I'm sorry, it will convert a video file, with a ac3 audio track into a mp4 video file with a playable audio file. Not real sure what the audio file file is.

Never got it to convert a file that could not play, into a file that plays. Until today.

Found a avi video file with an ac3 audio track. The video plays in the native player, but no sounds comes out. I used WatchMore and it converted an 550MB avi file into an 470MB mp4 file that will play with audio and video with the PlayBook's native videoplayer. WatchMore says it takes 1/7 of the the total runtime of the video to do the conversion. Didn't time the conversion, so I can not verify that.

But it does work.