Docs' Tech Notes

OS X Migration Assistant – Try it, You’ll Like it!

2012-04-28T20:38:00.001-04:00

As my friends and family know, I’ve accepted a new position with our college and am in the process of moving. Because of this, I am spending more time packing, than blogging. However, one of the perks of a new job is often a new computer. That was the case for me. I was able to convince my normally Windows dominate college to purchase me a new Mac Book Air 13. I guess it helps that the IT staff report to me now and I told them I would require “NO” support since I tend to be my own Mac helpdesk.

In the process of setting up my computer I decide to give OS X Migration Assistant a shot at transferring an account from my old Mac to this new MacBook Air. I must say, Mac OS X Migration Assistant is an AMAZING tool. Click below to learn more about my experience and why I think this is one of the best kept secrets of OS X.

…Click here to read the entire Tech Note ⏎

We have a Mac mini Media Center (MmMC) software winner!

2012-02-13T16:22:00.001-05:00

Several of you have been following along as I setup my Mac mini Media Center (MmMC). I know, because you ask me, “Hey Doc! What media center software do you use?” I’ve been quite coy with my answer because up and until now, I’ve not been able to determine a clear and definite winner.

Well today I am happy to go on record and make a decision. Hit the link below to find out which media center software I use on my MmMC. Keep in mind that this is not a formal review of all media center software, but I do hit some highlights from each as I qualify why I feel my selection is the best.

…Click here to read the entire Tech Note ⏎

Ross Building Accepted by Google Earth Team

2012-01-05T10:30:00.000-05:00

In a recent post, I shared the Ross Administration 3D Model I created and submitted to Google for inclusion as part of their Google Earth 3D Building Layer. I am pleased to share the message below:

About your model: Ross Administration Building

We're happy to tell you that your model has been accepted. It's now visible to millions of people in Google Earth's 3D Buildings layer. For more information, please take a look at our FAQs…Thanks very much for your excellent contribution to the worldwide geo-modeling effort. Please keep up the good work, and we look forward to seeing more of your models soon.

Cheers,
The Google 3D Warehouse Team

You can now fire up Google Earth and search for, “Ivy Tech Community College, Lafayette, IN” to view the building in all it’s 3D glory!

Merry Christmas! Courtesy of my favorite comic strip

2011-12-25T11:17:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas!!!

2011-12-24T01:00:00.000-05:00

Santa says, “Merry Christmas and thanks for being a Doc’s Tech Notes reader this past year!”

Check iPhone Message and Data Usage

2011-12-23T18:41:00.001-05:00

Today I am proud to present Doc’s Tech Notes first guest post. And this one is from none other than Katherine, my daughter. This is a proud day for Dad!

Ever wonder how many texts you’ve sent, or how much of your mere two gigs of data you’ve used? Don't you wish there were a way to check your messages and data usage without calling AT&T or going through the hassle of finding it online? Hit the link below to read more.

…Click here to read the entire Tech Note ⏎

SketchUp Model: Ross Administration Building

2011-12-15T19:22:00.002-05:00

{This post is still in draft status and will be updated/corrected soon} Among my many hobbies, I also like to revisit my original vocation: drafting and design. For several years I was heavily involved in the use of AutoCAD and 3D Studio. I even co-authored several books. My career took a detour about 10 years ago and I have since forgotten many of my AutoCAD skills; however, I still like to revisit and dabble in 3D modeling.

When Google SketchUp was released, I was elated. Finally, a powerful, free (pro version available) and easy modeling package that both hobbyist and professionals can use. I dove into the software, purchased a couple of books and viewed all the online tutorials I could find. When it comes to 3D modeling, there is no easier package than Google SketchUp.

As I identified potential hobbyist models, a goal was to create a model that I would submit to the Google SketchUp 3D Warehouse. I also wanted that model to be accepted into the Google Earth 3D Building Layer. The Ross Administration Building on our campus seemed to be the perfect model.

View the rest of the Tech Note to learn more and to see more images of the model.

…Click here to read the entire Tech Note ⏎

Over 100,000 served

2011-12-07T09:35:00.001-05:00

This morning, while reviewing comments, I noticed that Doc’s Tech Notes has now served over 100,000 page views. I understand for many blogs this number is just a drop in the hat; however, as a single person operation, I am very pleased. I am even more pleased that several readers have taken the time to drop a comment of thanks or to add to the Tech Notes.

“Thanks Readers!”

See view the most popular posts, hit the link below.

…Click here to read the entire Tech Note ⏎

Holiday Flurry of Deals

2011-12-06T11:47:00.001-05:00

I started to add this post to Google+; however I decided to post it here instead. Amazon’s Holiday Flurry Deals have begun at the Amazon AppStore for Android. There are many good Android app deals available for Kindle Fire and Android phone users.

This is a good time to try out some apps that may have seemed a bit costly at full price. While you review the apps available, check out my new favorite addition to the store, Plex (which is 60% off for a limited time). This app ties in nicely with my Mac mini Media Center project. I’ll write more about this app in a later post.

You can check out all the deals by clicking, Amazon AppStore for Android and selecting the Holiday Flurry Deals on the right-hand side of the screen. If you see an extra special deal or an app that didn’t make it to my recommended Kindle Fire app list, please consider dropping a comment below and adding to this Tech Note. I’ll be sure to do the same. Let the app downloads begin.

The iPad might be Oprah’s favorite thing, but the Amazon Kindle Fire ain’t bad.

2011-11-30T20:31:00.001-05:00

{Updated December 22, 2011 to incorporate comments after new Kindle 6.2.1 update. A ✓ indicates update}I feel that many bloggers and journalists jumped on the review the Amazon Kindle Fire bandwagon a bit early. I understand their need to get their reviews out there, but often it seemed as if their analysis was written, posted and online even before the device had a chance to fully complete a first battery charge.

I’ve been using the $199 Amazon Kindle Fire daily since its release (I preordered). Along the way, I’ve shared a couple of posts and a list of apps to consider (and I’ve been through a bunch of ’em), but have yet to post a full review. I felt the device needed a bit of a shakedown cruise before I drew any conclusions.

After about a month of use and an OS update, it is now time to share a realistic long-term use review. I’ll try to keep the review succinct and along the way present some important points and highlights that might help users on the fence make a decision on whether they want to find a Amazon Kindle Fire under their Christmas tree. Hit the link below for the Doc’s Tech Notes review of the Amazon Kindle Fire.

…Click here to read the entire Tech Note ⏎

Amazon Appstore for Android Kindle Fire Apps to get you started

2011-11-30T14:17:00.001-05:00

I’ve spent considerable time in the Amazon Appstore for Android since my recent purchase of the Kindle Fire. During that time I’ve found that the online reports are true; the Amazon Appstore for Android selection is not yet up to par with the official Android Marketplace. Many of my favorite apps from the Google Android Marketplace (an alternative store for the non-android initiated) just aren’t there. So until more apps migrate over to the Kindle App Store (sure to happen if you’ve seen recent news about Kindle Fire sales), I’ve had to make due with the current crop of apps available. So far, I have survived.

I’ve also been able to side-load a few applications, but I’ll leave that for my next post. For now, and after the hitting the link below, let me share the apps from the Amazon Appstore for Android that I feel are a worthy of consideration for your bright, shiny newAmazon Kindle.

…Click here to read the entire Tech Note ⏎

Happy Thanksgiving from Doc’s Tech Notes…

2011-11-23T09:14:00.001-05:00

…and here’s a holiday cartoon courtesy of Tundra Comics (I’ve meet the artist and am a HUGE fan). Have wonderful holiday. I’m doing the traditional Thanksgiving "thing," traveling.

Do you remember the Ready Ranger Back Pack?

2011-11-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

Programming note: This post (sans updates and edits) was originally posted on another blog I maintain; however, I am in the process of moving content from a couple of sites to consolidate blogs. This post is a good fit for Doc’s Tech Notes readers. While not modern tech, it does reflect some interesting technology for a toy of its time. Without further ado, here's the original post.
––––––––––
About a week before the Christmas of 2007, my son came home with an exercise for his Dad, yep…parents get homework these days! My task? Write about the my favorite childhood Christmas gift.

I fondly remembered a wonderful gift called the Ready Ranger Pack by Aurora. It was an amazing use of plastic in the mid-1970s and was my Red Ryder BB Gun (of course a reference to the film A Christmas Story). Curious about the toy composed of an amalgam of plastic, paper and batteries that led to numerous adventures during my childhood in the 1970s? Hit the link below to read more about my favorite childhood toy. It's nostalgia time on Doc’s Tech Notes and just in time for the holidays.

…Click here to read the entire Tech Note ⏎

Send to Kindle Chrome extension makes sending web pages to Kindle a single-click affair

2011-11-21T11:19:00.001-05:00

If you follow the blog or Doc’s Tech Notes on Google+, you know that I enjoy the new Kindle Fire. This is not my first Kindle rodeo though. I was also the owner of the original model. This model is now in the good hands of my daughter and still in use, despite the funky page turning buttons.

One of the things I enjoyed about the original Kindle was the ability to send .pdf files to the device via the free 3G connectivity. The process was as simple as attaching a file to an e-mail and then sending it to your very own secret e-mail address. It was very convenient, but unfortunately it also cost 10¢ per file, apparently to subsidize the free 3G network connectivity.

The Kindle Fire also comes with this ability as well as the ability to render .pdf files properly. The difference though is that files are now sent via Wi-Fi only (the Kindle Fire does not support 3G). That means the files are sent for free. No more rationing. I can wirelessly send as many files to the Kindle Fire as I please.

The Kindle Fire still supports wireless transfer via e-mail address. You can send/forward any message with an attachment and it will be sent to your device’s documents area. But what about web pages? What if you've found a large article online that you would like to read on the go? And on top of that, you would like a stripped down version devoid of ads and extraneous “stuff” you don’t need to read the contents? Well, thankfully we have the Send to Kindle Google Chrome extension for that. Hit the link below to learn more about this must have extension for Kindle Fire owners.

…Click here to read the entire Tech Note ⏎

Amazing, ho-hum, images from my Amazon Kindle Fire unboxing

2011-11-16T19:23:00.001-05:00

I know, I know, why in the world would anyone spend time doing this? Can't help myself. I like to capture and relish in the experience. So without further ado, here's the unboxing images and a video.

First thoughts about the Amazon Kindle Fire? I like it! A more detailed review to come later as I spend more time with it. In the meantime, I'll post some thoughts on the Doc’s Tech Notes Google+ page. Enjoy and drop a comment if you have any questions.

5 iOS apps to recommend to my brother – the new iPhone 4S owner

2011-11-14T15:13:00.001-05:00

My brother, the sports fan, recently joined the iPhone/iOS 5 world. He and his wife are now the proud owners of the brand new iPhone 4S (I'm a bit envious as I have decided to stick with my iPhone 4 and wait for the next model). Being new to the platform, I thought I would provide a list of my five favorite apps for his consideration. These are apps that I use at least weekly and in some cases daily.

Before I present my list of five apps, a little tip is in order for multiple iOS device owners – be sure to use a single App Store account for all devices. This may seem a bit unintuitive at first, but if you use the same account for all devices, you can purchase the apps once and install them on all of your iOS devices; without incurring additional cost. Even though I think I have done a very good job at selecting some awesome free apps to keep the cost of ownership low.

Hit the link below to view the list.

…Click here to read the entire Tech Note ⏎

Google+ Page for Doc’s Tech Notes now available

2011-11-08T17:12:00.002-05:00

I have no idea what I am going to do with it, but it is available nonetheless. If you are a Google+ users, stop by and add the page to your circles to show your support for Doc’s Tech Notes. If you have some ideas on how to leverage the site to either share content or build the community, I would love to read those as well. Drop them below or leave them on the page.

You can view the Doc’s Tech Notes Google+ page at: http://goo.gl/ANedl

OS X Lion 10.7.2 Full Screen and Mission Control Tips

2011-10-22T18:40:00.000-04:00

Using OS X Lion? Try CTRL+⌘+F to quickly bounce applications in and out of full-screen mode. I find this much faster than shoving the cursor up to the upper-right hand corner of the application window and clicking on the full-screen tool.

Bonus: With an upgrade to Lion 10.7.2, you can now drag screens to any order you like once you activate Mission Control (I like the four-finger swipe up on my Mac Book Air). Try it. Fire up a few applications, place them in full-screen mode using the keystrokes I provided. Activate Mission Control. Now drag the application screen representations left and right. Put them in any order you like. I'll be surprised if this doesn't enhance your productivity the next time you need to work within multiple applications.

Anyone else enjoying Mission Control to manage their application switching? I've found it invaluable on my 11” Mac Book Air. It really is a huge improvement over Spaces. Did I miss another valuable Mission Control tip? Drop a comment and add to this Tech Note.

Unleash the power of the Pyramid

2011-10-10T11:51:00.002-04:00

I'm not one to normally post viral videos; however, this one seemed like a video Doc’s Tech Notes readers would enjoy. And I thought the iPad and the new Kindle Fire were cool tablets.

Hey Doc! Where'd you go?

2011-09-26T13:56:00.001-04:00

I was reminded by that I hadn't dropped a post lately. Never fear, posts are in the works. Especially with respect to my Mac mini media center (MmMC) project. The delay? The job! I have several projects at work that have taken me away from the blog. After I complete those, I should have some time to devote to the blog again.

I have some interesting things to share with regard to the MmMC. This project has been on the test bench for quite a while and I have made some interesting discoveries that I hope to share soon with regards to software and utilities. Each of which make the MmMC much easier to operate. I’ve also noticed a trend in our home. We spend more time on the MmMC than we do on our DISH Network box. It would appear my little research project may be a long term success once I flesh out a few minor annoyances. Stay tuned!

Lion updated to 10.7.1 – fixes annoying HDMI issue

2011-08-16T17:37:00.001-04:00

In a recent post, I proclaimed that Lion was the perfect OS for a Mac mini Media Center (MmMC). Today apple fixes an annoying audio issue that relates to the HDMI audio:

Resolves an issue that may cause system audio to stop working when using HDMI or optical audio out.

I recently observed this issue while running Plex on my MmMC and I attributed this bug to Plex, not the OS. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure it out. My short term fix was a reboot – very inconvenient. Turns out this was a Lion bug! Who’d a thunk it. So if you are running your own MmMC, visit  | Software Update... to get the latest update for Lion and apply the fix.

Google+ invites free to good home

2011-08-11T13:19:00.002-04:00

If you would like an invite, post an interesting comment below. Interesting means your comment is more than a “give me one” statement. Share an interesting tip, trick, quote or suggestion. Be sure to add your Google ID so I can send you the invite. As of today, I have about 148 invites left. 100 of those are for readers of Doc’s Tech Notes and I’ll reserve the other for family and friends. This is first come and first serve. Again, only interesting posts will receive the invite so make them pithy folks. Let the comments begin!

If you are interested, you can follow my public Google+ posts without joining by clicking here.

Lion is the perfect Mac mini Media Center OS

2011-08-09T16:18:00.000-04:00

In this next post related to converting a Mac mini into a Mac mini Media Center (MmMC), I want to share what I discovered once I upgraded to OS X Lion and why I consider Lion to be the perfect OS for my MmMC. You can read my thoughts after hitting the link below.

…Click here to read the entire Tech Note ⏎

Mac Mini to MMMC Unboxing

2011-08-05T15:42:00.001-04:00

Last night I unpacked the Mac Mini I purchased from Amazon and connected it to our Sony Bravia 55” HDTV. After hitting the link below, you’ll find images from that unpacking (in all their exciting glory) along with some notes that might be useful for folks with a limited technical background who are also converting a Mac Mini into a Mac Mini Media Center (MMMC).

…Click here to read the entire Tech Note ⏎

MMMC Software Downloads

2011-08-04T15:24:00.003-04:00

The Mac Mini is still in the box. Once I break it out, the first step will be to upgrade it to OS X Lion. In the mean time, I am downloading several software packages and placing them in a Dropbox folder so I’ll have quick access once Dropbox is installed on the MMMC. Below is a screen shot of my selection so far with Boxee my planned main interface. Any other software recommendations?