Pete's Blog

Anker KARAPAX for iPhone 8 Plus

2017-10-08T16:09:00.001-04:00

If you're looking for a great screen protector for your new iPhone 8 Plus (or 8), Anker makes a great one called the Anker KARAPAX iPhone 8 Plus. It's well made and fits very well on the iPhone. Highly recommended!

My Glass Presentation for Charlotte American Marketing Association

2013-11-07T23:00:00.002-05:00

Here's a link to my presentation for the Charlotte American Marketing Association. Enjoy!

http://x.teoh.us/glass-cama

The Ultimate Selfie-cam?

2013-09-04T09:55:00.000-04:00

I just pre-ordered a Sony DSCQX100. It's supposed to have the lens and sensor of the well-regarded RX100M2 but is designed to be used in conjunction with an Android or iOS device. Amazon has an estimated shipping date of September 27, 2013 so I have time to cancel if I change my mind about it.

PGP/GPG Public Key

2013-08-21T19:53:00.000-04:00

If you're going to send me any confidential or sensitive information, please use PGP/GPG encryption. My public key is below. You should also be able to retrieve it from several Public Key Servers.

GPG Key ID: 0x70E12C32
GPG Key Fingerprint: 144D F3D3 5F8E 293B FD9D 70E0 AE61 AD9F 70E1 2C32

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Version: GnuPG/MacGPG2 v2.0.20 (Darwin)
Comment: GPGTools - https://gpgtools.org

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Getting Glass

2013-04-28T22:45:00.003-04:00

My alarm rings at 6:30 on Saturday, April 27, 2013 and I jump out of bed immediately. Today is Glass Day for me! I brush my teeth, shower, shave, get dressed, feed the cats, and by 8:00 I am walking through the TSA Pre-Check lane at Charlotte-Douglas Airport. My flight takes off and lands on time at JFK and I take a black car into Manhattan. +Terry Lee Sheppard and +Tuck Ngun are waiting for me at Blossom for lunch. They're coming along as my ~~geeks~~ guests for the Glass event. Lunch is delicious (but that's a story for another blog post).

We finish lunch just in time for the short walk to the Google office for my Glass appointment at 14:00. We make our way into the main Google office lobby where the security officer tells us that Glass deliveries are in the Chelsea Market building across the street. Oops! We hurry across the street where we see two Glass Guides who greet us and direct us to the 8th floor.

On the 8th floor more Glass Guides greet us and check me in after verifying my ID. We are offered beverages; anything from water to champagne (classy!) is available. Max who is to be my Glass Guide for the day appears in a short while. We follow him behind a partition to a large room with several desks/work surfaces made of black-painted metal tubing and light (maple?) laminated wood with a very chic industrial look.

Max guides us to one of the workstations where we set our things down. He shows us to a display wall where the five different color options of Glass are on display: Charcoal, Shale, Sky, Tangerine, and Cotton. I had chosen Shale when I made my appointment over the phone but I can change to a different color now if I like. Charcoal, Shale, and Cotton are in stock but Sky and Tangerine are not. Max says that if I decide to get one of the out-of-stock colors he can still get me set up and run through the tutorial but the Glass would be shipped to me later.

I try on each color, looking at myself in the mirror and decide that I still like Shale. Terry, Tuck, Max, and couple of other Glass Guides (I forget their names) agree that Shale looks great on me.

We make our way back to the desk where there is a Chromebook Pixel ready. I sign in with my Gmail credentials. Google Apps accounts are not supported on Glass yet, unfortunately. Another Glass Guide brings my Glass to us. The box is very well made and coated in a soft touch paper with a white top and black bottom. I open the box and remove the translucent paper seal, revealing my Glass under it. Ta-da!

Max shows me the various key parts of the hardware: power button, camera button, bone conduction speaker, micro USB port, indicator LED. He asks me to power it on and try it on my head. We check the fit and the fit was great for my head right out of the box. No adjustment needed! Max tells me that the frame for Glass is made of highly-durable titanium and shows on his own Glass how much he can twist it and still not cause any damage. He also says that the nose pieces can be adjusted to ensure proper fit.

For reference, Glass is designed so that the display should be positioned just above one's direct line of vision over the right eye. This way Glass is out of the way when not needed and just a quick glance up when it is. Adjustments to the nose pieces can be made to position it just right.

Max asks what type of cell phone I have (Nexus 4) and whether I have the MyGlass app (I do). He guides me through selecting my Gmail account on the MyGlass app and the Glass Guest WiFi network. The app generates a QR code containing that information and information to pair Glass to Bluetooth on my phone. I scan the QR code with Glass and it takes a few seconds to configure itself, then presents a Bluetooth pairing numerical code that matches the one now displayed on my Nexus 4. I accept the pairing on both devices and everything is ready to go!

Don't I look great in Glass? The color even matches my jacket. :-)

Max walks me through some additional items that can be set up through either the MyGlass app or the MyGlass web site. He shows me the rest of the features and how to operate them on Glass. He also shows me how to attach the sunglass and clear lens accessories to Glass, both of which are included. He also adds my account to a whitelist so that I can have access to the Glass Explorers Community portal and the Google Mirror API, which in turn allows me to create Glassware.

With the setup and walkthrough completed, Max answers some of my other questions and tells us that we are free to stay for as long as we like or leave when we're ready.

I see +Ryan Warner and +Peter Ng, two of my fellow Foundry NYC attendees and decide to say hello and chat with them before we leave. It is good to see them again. We also chat with a few other Glass Guides, one of whom tells us that the sunglass attachment is designed and manufactured by Maui Jim and are polarized to work with the Glass display so that it shows up with greater contrast in bright sunlight. I love the attention to detail the Glass team has put into designing Glass.

Photo courtesy of +David Watkins

We also get to meet Nick who is wearing a prototype Glass with prescription lenses. He hands it to us so we can see what it looks like up close. The Glass unit itself is identical to mine but the frame is specially designed to accomodate prescription lenses.

Nick wearing Glass with prescription lenses

It's almost 16:00 now and we're ready to leave. My flight home departs from JFK at 18:29. We bid goodbye to Max and the other Glass Guides who have been so friendly and helpful. What a great experience!

I have now been assimilated. Resistance is futile.

Some of the first photos and videos from my Glass

The Golden Ticket

2013-04-23T18:28:00.000-04:00

Last night at about 21:30 I received an email from +Project Glass inviting me to order my Glass Explorer Edition (XE). The email contained a toll-free number, a unique code, and a link to the Terms of Sale. I immediately read and accepted the Terms of Sale and called to schedule delivery of my very own Glass XE.

A Glass Guide answered and verified my name, unique code, and some other information. He told me that I have the option to pick up Glass in person in New York, Los Angeles, or Mountain View or to have it shipped to me. He told me that I can pick it up in person as soon as Wednesday (April 24, 2013) or they could ship it to me after May 1st. I decided to fly to New York in order to get it a few days sooner than if I were to wait for shipping. I was then asked to select a color; charcoal, shale, and cotton are available immediately but tangerine and sky are backordered. I decided to go with shale, which was my second preference after sky.

The Glass Guide then said that his list says that I am a Glass Foundry winner and that I would not have to pay for device. Yay! A few minutes after completing my call I received an email (a.k.a The Golden Ticket) confirming my appointment to pick up Glass.

So, I'm heading to New York this weekend to be assimilated. Resistance is futile. The singularity approaches. So, does Pete have Glass? Not yet, but soon!

LG WCP-300 Wireless Charging Pad

2013-04-20T14:44:00.004-04:00

This is my quick review of the WCP-300 Qi-compatible wireless charging pad from LG. It’s available from Verizon now for $39.99. It comes with the charging pad, a USB power adapter, and a micro USB cable. There’s a small LED on the charging pad that lights up when it is plugged in. The LED is yellow when it is idle and turns green when charging a phone.

It works very well with my Nexus 4 and will charge in any orientation that you place the phone in, as long as the charging pad is under the right spot on the phone.

I do have one minor problem with the charger. It’s really more of a problem with the glass back of the Nexus 4. It is very slippery and will slide off the charging pad periodically. I found an easy solution by sticking some clear silicone bumpers to the charging surface. These give just enough traction to prevent the Nexus 4 from sliding off too easily. The bumpers can be purchased from Lowes for $5 and comes in a package of 80 in assorted sizes.

That’s my quick review of the WCP-300.

Does Pete Teoh have glass?

2013-04-19T22:00:00.002-04:00

Find out the answer here: http://does.pete.teoh.us/haveglass

Apple - Customer service done right

2013-03-13T19:14:00.000-04:00

I bought a MacBook Pro 15 with Retina Display on February 21st and love it. The retina display is the best thing since DX codes on film cartridges (You're old if you remember those.) when it comes to photography.

On Monday night (March 11th), I was wiping down some cat slobber from my screen (Yes, my cat likes to lick my computer) and I noticed that one of the aluminum corners on the back of the display had a slight dent on it. The screen appeared OK so it was mainly a cosmetic defect. I haven't dropped or knocked the MacBook against anything so I'm not sure how the dent go there.

I was a little upset about it since I had spent a lot of money on the machine and it was just over 2 weeks old. Apple normally has a 14 day no questions asked exchange/return policy so being just past the 2 week mark I thought I was out of luck.

I contacted Apple Support anyway and the support technician advised me to bring it in to the Genius Bar. He set up an appointment for me for Tuesday night so I went in last night thinking that I would just be told that they couldn't anything for me unless I wanted to pay for a repair. I had a pleasant surprise when I told the Genius why I was there and he immediately turned to his manager to get authorization to do a retail exchange. He said that he didn't want me to be without my MacBook for however it long it might take to get it fixed and the manager agreed.

Ten minutes later, I walked out of the Apple Store with a brand new MacBook Pro at no extra cost. Now, that's customer service done right!

On a related note, my last four laptops were IBM/Lenovo Thinkpads and I have nothing but good things to say about tech support. Whenever I've had anything go bad on one of the Thinkpads I would just have to submit a ticket online or call the 800 number and a replacement part would be at my doorstep the next business day.

I hope Apple tech support is as good as their in-store customer service and Thinkpad tech support if I ever need to get this MacBook serviced.

Silver lining of losing the Google I/O 2013 lottery

2013-03-13T12:26:00.001-04:00

Well, boys and girls, I lost the Google I/O 2013 ticket lottery today. I really enjoyed going last year and learned a lot. I also got an opportunity to attend Glass Foundry earlier this year because I was at I/O 2012 and signed up to be a Glass Explorer, and managed to win the grand prize. Unfortunately my karma level seems to be depleted and I didn't get a ticket to I/O this year.

To make myself feel better (and for a laugh), I'm hereby presenting the silver lining for losing the ticket lottery:

I just saved myself $900 + airfare + hotel.
I now have time to sit in my backyard and watch the dandelions grow from May 15-17.
I don't have to make space in my house for all the cool new gadgets that Google might or might not be giving to attendees this year.
My cats will hate me less than if I had abandoned them to go to I/O.
I can now afford to buy other cool stuff to make myself feel better (retail therapy anyone?).
I now have 4 more vacation days to go somewhere fun.

I'm still bummed out and I hate all of you people who got tickets (no, not really) but I'll be watching whatever is broadcast on +YouTube. Maybe I'll get my +Project Glass soon so I can stream the broadcasts and pretend that I'm there.

To you lucky ones who got tickets, enjoy Google I/O!

Nexus 4 Carbon Black Skin by dbrand

2013-03-03T12:25:00.000-05:00

One part of the Nexus 4 that I wish would have been designed differently is the glass back. While it's nice to look at, it makes the phone too slippery. I always feel like it will slip out of my hands. The glass surface is a fingerprint magnet and prone to scratches if you set it down on a surface that's not 100% clean.

I found a company that makes a variety of different skins/stickers for the back of the Nexus 4 and bought the Carbon Black version. I just put it on my phone and am really pleased with it. It's not real carbon fiber but simulates the look and feel of it. Application of the skin was easy and the fit is excellent.

Now my Nexus 4 has a less slippery textured back and I don't feel like it's going to slip out of my hand easily. It's not quite as shiny/sparkly/blingy as the glass back but rather it's a more subdued look that I really like. For what it's worth, I wish the Nexus 4 would have had a carbon fiber back to begin with.

The same company also makes skins with other patterns/textures for the Nexus 4 and other devices. Check them out!

http://dbrand.com/submodels/nexus-4/

Alternative Lens Hood for Sony RX1

2013-01-15T14:17:00.000-05:00

The official lens hood for the Sony RX1 costs $180 and is currently not in stock from any stores in the US. After a little digging around I found an alternative Sony lens hood that works perfectly, is cheaper (but still not cheap), and in stock. It costs $131 direct from Sony Parts and Accessories.

The hood itself is a hybrid plastic/metal construction and normally ships with the E-mount Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 24mm F1.8 ZA lens. The part number is ALC-SH114. It is deeper than the LHP-1 hood for the RX1 but I have not noticed any vignetting in use. The increased depth means it will offer more protection from glare.

It is a bayonet mount and keeps the 49mm front thread of the lens free so the lens cap and filters will still work. Another bonus is that the lens hood will actually mount backwards on the RX1 for storage.

Highly recommended!

Link to purchase the lens hood.

Sony RX100 custom grip by Richard Franiec

2013-01-07T15:08:00.002-05:00

Today I received the custom grip for my Sony RX100 by Richard Franiec. The camera itself is somewhat slippery to hold so the custom grip is a great addition that improves the ergonomics when handling the camera. The grip itself is made of metal (I'm guessing aluminum) and is very high quality. The finish matches the camera so it looks right at home. I highly recommend this if you own a Sony RX100.

Wrist Strap by Lance Camera Straps

2013-01-04T17:39:00.000-05:00

I just received my new wrist strap from Lance Camera Straps today and I really like it a lot. I'm impressed with the quality and sturdiness of it. I bought it specifically for my Sony DSC-RX1. I think a wrist strap is a much better match for this camera than the neck strap that Sony included.

The wrist strap is made of thick nylon material and looks like it will hold up to just about any amount of normal use or abuse I'm likely to put it through. An added bonus is the trim color that Lance calls "Red Orange" is a perfect match for the orange accent ring on the RX1's lens.

I highly recommend this if you're looking for a wrist strap for your camera.

If you're getting this wrist strap, I recommend that you also get the optional O-Ring Strap Bumper that they sell. It is a rubber gasket or ring that fits over your camera's strap lug and will protect your camera's finish from getting scraped by the o-ring that attaches the strap.

Nexus 4 pouch by igadgitz

2012-12-11T11:33:00.001-05:00

I just got this synthetic leather (pleather) pouch for my +Nexus 4. It fits very well and looks nice. It's relatively thin so it doesn't add too much bulk in your pocket. There is a pull tab that when pulled will get your phone out of the pouch without difficulty. I bought mine from Amazon http://amzn.to/TRYOwI and it comes in several other colors. The description says it's made for the Galaxy Nexus but the dimensions are close enough to fit the Nexus 4 perfectly.

OBi110 arrived today

2011-11-22T18:34:00.001-05:00

The OBi110 I ordered arrived today. I have installed and set it up and can report that setup is easy. Configuring the device to connect to my Google Voice number for calls is also very easy. So far I have tested making calls through GV and it worked flawlessly. I'll keep testing it over the next few days and will have a final verdict.

Warning: Lazy week ahead

2011-11-21T00:23:00.001-05:00

I have the week off from work. The main plan is to be lazy. That is all.

New VoIP adapter coming to the Teoh compound

2011-11-20T01:04:00.001-05:00

My Asterisk PBX died a while back and I've finally gotten around to replacing it. This time around I'm going with an OBi110. The OBi110 is supposed to be able to log in directly to Google Talk/Google Voice to make and receive calls. I'll know how well it works in a couple of days.

Recipe: Vegetable Lentil Soup

2011-11-01T21:16:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:

Lentils
1.5 cups of dry green lentils
3 cups water

Vegetables
2 cups carrots chopped
2 cups celery chopped
2 medium yellow or white onions chopped
4 cloves of garlic minced
8 oz sliced button mushrooms

Spices
1 tsp turmeric powder
0.5 tsp cardamom powder
0.5 tsp cumin powder
0.5 tsp ginger powder
0.5 tsp chili powder

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups water
1.5 cups dry red wine (cabernet sauvignon or syrah)
1.5 tsp sea salt
1 tsp Bragg's amino or tamari
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Directions:
Boil the lentils in 3 cups of water. Lower heat to medium when it begins to boil. Cook the lentils until tender but not mushy. This will take about 30 minutes.

In a large pot, heat up the extra virgin olive oil (medium high heat). Add the onions and garlic and stir around until the onion starts turning translucent. Add all the spices and keep stirring, making sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot and burn. This should take about 1 minute.

Once the onions are soft, add the chopped carrots and celery, and 0.5 tsp of salt. Stir everything well and keep stirring to avoid burning for about 5 minutes. At this point the veggies should be sweating. Raise the heat to high because we'll be adding liquid to the mix and we don't want things to cool down too much.

Pour in the 2 cups of water and 1.5 cups of red wine. This will deglaze the pot. Make sure to scrape the pot so that everything dissolves in the liquid. Bring it to a boil and lower the heat to medium to simmer.

Add the sliced mushrooms, cover the pot and let everything simmer for about 5-6 minutes. Uncover pot and add the cooked lentils. Keep it simmering for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the remaining 1 tsp of salt, Bragg's and fresh ground black pepper. Finally, add the lemon juice. This will brighten up the flavor of the soup. Stir well and it's ready to eat. Serve with some nice crusty sourdough bread or whole grain bread.

Recipe: Sauteed Spinach

2011-08-23T01:49:00.001-04:00

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried pepper flakes
1 lb baby spinach
Bragg liquid amino (to taste)
Directions:
In a large sautee pan heat up olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and pepper flakes and stir for a few seconds, making sure the garlic doesn't burn.
Add baby spinach in batches, making sure the previous batch starts to wilt before adding more. Drizzle in the Bragg liquid amino as the last batch of spinach starts to wilt and stir in well. Take the pan off the heat and it's ready to serve.

Hello world

2011-08-01T18:14:00.001-04:00

This is my first post on Blogger from the Android app on my Nexus S. Can you read me now?