Time for a new phone … I didn’t really want to get a new phone; specifically, I didn’t want to spend the money. I’d bought my Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime back in 2015 and it was still serving me well seven years later but the annoyances were starting to accumulate. The 8GB of storage space…
Category: Personal Tech
Designing a Standing Desk Without Spending Lots of Money
I admit it, I spend way too much time sitting. My work is mostly at the computer so that’s where I am for hours every day and that’s not counting the time in front spent watching Hulu and streaming other stuff. Much is being written now about the dangers of prolonged sitting from increased risks…
Unboxing the ASUS Chromebook
This past weekend, I finally decided to spring for a Chromebook. I’ve been thinking more and more about a Windows replacement machine, at least for basic tasks. I also wanted an inexpensive solution that would extend the life of my current laptop. I often don’t need the full machine out on the road and the…
Alexa and the Echo Dot on the Go
I’ve been playing around the Amazon’s Echo Dot for just under a week now and was curious about its portability. Obviously, the hardware just needs a place to plug in and a Wi-Fi network to access but I was really wondering if I could run its data through my phone’s 4G hotspot. Public networks are fine…
My First 24 Hours With Alexa
I couldn’t resist any longer and decided to welcome Amazon’s Alexa into my home. I was a little hesitant at first about letting Amazon put a microphone in my house but my curiosity won out. I live alone anyway and the device can always be unplugged if necessary. At worst, it might get me to stop talking to…
A Quick Guide To Keeping Your Flash Drive Data Safe
When I started using computers about 30 years ago, the floppy disk was the standard of personal data storage. I actually started out using the 5.25″ disk so the 3.5″ disk with it’s hard case and a little bit more space was a welcome improvement at the time. We’ve come a long way in the…
Portable USB Chargers – Simple, Inexpensive and Useful Accessories
In our new world of rechargeable devices and constant connection, more battery power is never a bad thing. Seeing a battery indicator at 5% and a device begging to be recharged sends many people into a scramble looking for the nearest convenient charging solution. When there’s no outlet available or when you don’t want to leave…
Laptop Bags Don’t Have to be Expensive
After you’ve bought your new laptop computer, taken it out of the box and set it up, your next thought might naturally be “What am I going to carry this in?”. That laptop you just spent hundreds of dollars for is sitting there on your desk and looks naked and unprotected without one of those…
Alcatel OneTouch Fierce Hotspot Stops Working
See the end of this post for the March 2015 update. I got it working again for now. Earlier this year, I upgraded to an Alcatel OneTouch Fierce smartphone from the $20 cheapo phone I was using and was pretty happy to be back in the Android camp with all the available apps and the…
Favorite Android Apps – Hi-Q MP3 Recorder
One of the many advantages of carrying an all-in-one device like a smartphone is the ability to record notes to myself, whether it’s short reminders or dictation of study notes. A device with some storage space can even store longer recordings including lectures and meetings. The old micro-cassette recorders and other voice recording technologies have…