HughCowan.com

LinkedIn or Xing?

admin — Wed, 12 May 2010 22:21:26 +0000

I’ve recently updated my LinkedIn and Xing profiles and was wondering if there is a particular favourite amongst people as the features both seem quite similar. I currently have 75 contacts on Xing and 94 contacts on LinkedIn. Of course this may not be everyone I know and comparing it to Facebook (which is not used primarily for business purposes of course) I have 375 so there is a huge difference.

Anyway I’m just curious who uses what and why. Vote on the poll to the left or below and feel free to leave a comment!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

LinkedIn or Xing? is a post from: HughCowan.com

New Theme

admin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:26:01 +0000

Courtesy of my friend Yun I now have a new theme that I can call my own! Let me know what you think and if you find any bugs.

New Theme is a post from: HughCowan.com

Election Time

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:22:20 +0000

Yesterday the current Prime Minister finally announced the General Election we’ve all been expecting in the UK for some time now. For many people this election will be a tough choice between the parties. Let me know who you would vote for in the poll to the right.

Election Time is a post from: HughCowan.com

New Blog Name and Hosting

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 01:08:48 +0000

It is March already and there have hardly been any blog posts this year! Sorry about that. I’ll try and improve this.

Next month my domain name and hosting are up for renewal and as I now work for a hosting company it made sense to everything over there. During this process I have decided to rename my blog HughCowan.com You can already see the blog hosted on it’s new server at that domain. The move should be pretty much seamless!

New Blog Name and Hosting is a post from: HughCowan.com

iPad or iDisappointed?

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:50:26 +0000

Well Apple launched their latest product in a wave of anticipation but this is one product which is not mind-blowing at all. In fact it is very average. The biggest let down for me is that there is no Multitasking available currently and also having no camera is a bit of a let down and with no USB ports it will be impossible to plug one in until someone brings one out specially for the iPhone-like connector.

I’m quite happy that my iPhone 3G from 2008 can in fact do more than the iPad, for example SMS and calls (not that you’d want to use something the size of an iPad to do this). Also the name, iPad? Really? It is obvious and boring. Not to mention the certain similarities it has with female hygiene products!

Overall I’m iDisappointed with the iPad (see what I did there?). Here’s hoping Apple turn it around in 2011 and that the next version of the iPhone OS exceeds expectations!

iPad or iDisappointed? is a post from: HughCowan.com

End of recession!

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:41:02 +0000

According to the BBC we’re officially out of one of the worst recessions since WW2. The recovery will be slow and there are bound to be some pitfalls along the way but it looks like the 2nd great financial shift of the 21st century is behind us. Damn it I missed it, at least I will be fully prepared for the next one in about 10 years!

End of recession! is a post from: HughCowan.com

Happy New Year

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:50:53 +0000

Well it is another New Year and we’re reaching the end of the first decade of the new Millennium. If you follow the convention of calling decades the 60s, 70s etc then we have just finished the naughties. Unfortuantly for most people it wasn’t so naughty. Just normal everyday living! 2009 was a great year for technology and 2010 will prove to be an even better one I predict.

Have a great 2010!

Happy New Year is a post from: HughCowan.com

From my iPhone

admin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:28:02 +0000

This is the first post I have created from the WordPress app on my iPhone. This app is superb! I can write posts and pages and manage my comments all on the move via the 3g network!

So far my iPhone is showing more and more uses each day!

From my iPhone is a post from: HughCowan.com

App Review: Tube Deluxe

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:51:41 +0000

This app is essential if you’re living or travelling to London in the United Kingdom. It has all the information you would ever need to navigate yourself around the London Underground or as we prefer to call it, the Tube.

The status update page displays the currect status for all lines including the DLR and the TFL run Overground lines. It shows if the lines that are experiencing delays, both minor and major and it shows any currently closed lines. All this information can be updated via the 3G connection and it is both accurate and fast! It is also possible to touch a line of interest and the app displays more information about the reason for delays as well as station closures, at the bottom of the page are detail of the next weekend closures as well an option to choose the time and day of any push notifications required about line delays.

This app has a scrollable (both vertical and horizontal) tube map. Using the same movements as the built in Google Maps app you can move around the map with a finger and zoom in by pinching the screen out and pinching in zooms out. The map works really well and is fully uptodate with the latest station closures displayed.

The plan feature of these app is very similar to what is provided on the Transport for London (TFL) website only it is in your pocket and it doesn’t require an internet connection. After using this feature a couple of times it seems that it only shows the route with the least changes, not necessarily the quickest route it seems…

It is possible to view the current departure boards at any Underground or DLR station. This is especially useful for me as I can leave my home at exactly the right time to allow me to arrive at my local station without having to wait long. A real time saver!

The last feature of this app is probably the best. It utilises the GPS technology in the iPhone and shows you the distance to your nearest tube station if you’re in an unfamiliar location. You can also get this information shown on a Google map and then find your way to that station.

So to conclude, being my first app that I purchased on the app store I was slightly afraid of it being low quality and poor value for money. However for 59p the functionality of this app is superb! so far the information provided has been accurate and the only negative aspect is the journey planning section which doesn’t always seem to suggest the best route. If you live in London then this app is highly recommended!

App Review: Tube Deluxe is a post from: HughCowan.com

New Updates!

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:47:07 +0000

So after that short hiatus I’m back blogging. What’s happened over the last few months? Well I completed my studies and graduated from University. My ceremony is next month so look out for the pictures! I also managed to find a decent job just a few weeks after finishing my last exam. Recession? What recession! Oh and I also just bought an iPhone and I’m planning to review some of the Apps I buy very soon so keep an eye out!

New Updates! is a post from: HughCowan.com