Cold Boot - All Things Tech

BTN2Go Now Includes Comcast XFINITY Support

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 05:47:00 -0700

This day has been a long time coming, but it is apparently finally here. The BTN2Go app, the mobile streaming app created by the Big Ten Network, now includes live video support for Comcast XFINITY subscribers. This inclusion should be platform wide, meaning the Comcast XFINITY login should be available on Android and iOS devices.

For some users of the app, including myself, the Comcast login may be difficult to find, as it is located at the bottom of the alphabetical list (maybe for XFINITY?). The logo for the service also, rather than being either the Comcast or XFINITY logo, actually reads "Beta," so this is likely an inclusion in its infancy.

Streaming seems to operate fine on my DROID DNA on Verizon, and I know I'll be using this thing like crazy at tailgates during football season and in the office for basketball.

For those frustrated users who deleted the BTN2Go app in the past, here's a link to the Android version in the Google Play Store. Enjoy!

Similicious - A short-term Canadian vacation SIM option

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 08:02:00 -0700

Similicious, a Canadian MVNO, has been providing low-cost, pre-paid SIM cards for international travelers in Canada for a few months now. They had some excellent bargains as of the middle of June, with their best likely being a 1GB offering for $25CAD + $10 deposit (for overages) with overage MBs costing only $0.015 per megabyte. These data-only plans seemed like excellent bargains, especially if you could make wi-fi outgoing calls on your iOS or Android device. These data plans include LTE in addition to HSPA.

Similicious has been a well kept secret across the border, despite their active Facebook and Twitter accounts. Those data package prices were really outstanding, and I was planning on getting a 1GB card for an upcoming trip of mine in early July.

Unfortunately, I was a bit late to the party. Within the last week or so, Similicious has changed their plans, and increased some of their rates. My beautiful 1GB SIM went up from $25CAD + $10 refundable deposit to $45CAD (no deposit), an 80% price jump. Additionally, overage charges went up, albeit marginally, to $0.0175 per additional MB. A new, lower plan of 500MB is now available for $30CAD (no deposit), but their higher tier plans of 2GB and 5GB (data only) have now been removed altogether.

I contacted a representative from Similicious regarding the change. I was told that the network provider (not sure who, but clearly a nationwide provider as coverage seems to be very broad) basically mandated these increases, and Similicious is actively working to get their old plans/prices back.

In the end, the responses from Similicious came so quickly, and thoughtfully, that I will go with them on my trip despite the current changes. I will go for the 500MB plan ($0.025 per additional MB), and will just accept and pay overage charges if necessary.

Similicious could be a real contender if they can keep those prices low, but I will recommend their services to friends and family if all goes well.

UPDATE: I checked the Similicious.com site this morning, and am saddened to announce that prices have been raised even further. All available plans have now gone up another $10CAD, which would raise the 500MB plan, if you were to order today, to about $40CAD. Additionally, shipping charges for the SIMs have gone up considerably, now $20CAD for U.S. delivery ($10CAD Canadian delivery), up from only $2CAD a week ago.

UPDATE 2: The 500MB plan appears to be back at $30CAD, with the $2CAD delivery option available again for those who plan ahead for shipping. I believe that the Similicious service worked well on my trip, and would recommend this specific plan for those travelling for a week. The 1GB plan remains at $55CAD, which I believe is a bit pricey for that amount of service.

Got a Job (Good/Bad News)

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Thu, 7 Jan 2010 17:00:00 -0800

I've got a temporary job, and may have a full-time job coming my way within the next couple days. What does this mean? My posting will be few and far between (as you may have noticed). I'll try to keep up when I can, but things probably won't be like they used to. Thanks for reading, and keep checking back!

I've also become the webmaster for MichEconomy.com. For anyone interested in news about the Michigan economy, Rick Haglund is an excellent writer who has covered Michigan business news for over 24 years. Check it out!

Podcast Wednesday - 12/16

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:01:00 -0800

Cold Boot hits before the holidays with iMac talk, the Microsoft/EU settlement, the lack of Verizon apps, and an update on my URL shortening situation. It might be Winter, but the Cold Boot 'cast is HOT!

URL Shortening - The New Movement

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 07:41:00 -0800

Having just recently gotten into the blogger foray on a regular basis, I wasn't entirely familiar with URL shortening until now. I still don't totally get the concept, but I currently use bit.ly to shorten my links on Twitter (it's Twitter's default, but TwitterFeed lets you choose from a myriad of options). Bit.ly, probably the most recognized because it is Twitter's default service, is gaining quite a bit of company, however, as well as adding some services.

Bit.ly Pro is that provider's way of making "www" addresses a thing of the past. For instance, if you type nyti.ms into your browser, you will end up with the New York Times homepage. Other sites, such as The Onion, MSN, and the Wall Street Journal have also gotten into what is now the beta stage of bit.ly Pro, which also provides detailed statistics of use for those that sign up. Facebook has also entered the URL shortening mix, allowing users to either reach the Facebook homepage at fb.me, or utilizing Facebook's new username service by entering the username following a forward-slash.

URL shortening, albeit interesting, seems a little silly to me. Bookmarks became commonly used years ago, and users across the globe use them all the time to access their most frequented sites. Even if you are trying to attract new users, wouldn't it be easier to remember "newyorktimes.com" rather than "nyti.ms?"

New iMacs Experience Shipment Delays and Graphic Issues

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 07:19:00 -0800

This hasn't gotten a ton of pub, but Apple is apparently having some issues with their new 27" iMac line. Not only are they having problems filling orders for the desktop computer, but the iMac display has had problems as well, including cracked screens and flickering. One post on the Apple discussion forums, "New iMac 27inch screen flickering/tearing/shutoff," had 1,284 replies at the time of this blog posting. The issue, according to some, can be tied to either the ATI video card Apple has now decided to use in this new line, or the i5 and i7 processors overheating.

In terms of shipping the computers, Apple's claiming that their iMac sales are up 74% over last year, which is what's causing the delay. Some suggested that it was the graphic issue that slowed the iMac shipments, but Apple claims that isn't true. Whether or not Apple delayed shipments to fix the flickering issue might not be solved until after the holiday, when those who receive the delayed iMac's have their chance to complain if problems persist.

Use SkyDrive for Hosting Streaming Media

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Wed, 9 Dec 2009 18:28:00 -0800

If you've tried to use Windows Live SkyDrive to host a podcast or video, you may have noticed that the link seems to become unusable within a few hours of uploading the file. Well, it does, and that's due to Microsoft implementing a changing URL system, probably precisely for preventing streaming media to be placed on, and clog up, their servers. The old method, which worked fine up until a few months ago, would be to right-click the file you wanted to stream in your SkyDrive library, copy the link location, take the "?download" text off the end of the address, and that would be the direct link.

Well my cyber friends, don't despair, Tim Acheson has come to our rescue! Acheson has created a dynamic redirect URL that allows you to use SkyDrive to host streaming media, and will work as a permanent link! Here are the steps:

1. ASK Tim Acheson if you can use his redirect link. He's worked hard on it, and would like to know how many of us are taking advantage of it. It's only right to ask permission from the author, and it's not all that difficult or time consuming, so do it!

2. Copy this URL, as it will be the first half of your permanent link: http://www.timacheson.com/SkyDrive/DirectLinkRedirect?pageUrl=

3. Go to the SkyDrive page that simply shows your file as an icon. It's hard to describe this page exactly, so I've got an example for you HERE.

4. Copy that URL, and paste it behind Acheson's URL listed above so that it follows the "=" sign.

Once you've followed these steps, you've got a working link! The streaming URL for the file is the one that changes, not the URL that takes you to the file's SkyDrive page. Tim's basically gotten the redirect to automatically click to access the file that the SkyDrive link is connected to. This is AWESOME news for us podcasters, as we can now use a full 25GB of space to host audio, video, and whatever streaming media we want! Be sure, again, to ask Tim if you can use his redirect URL, and thank him while you're at it for helping us out majorly.

Podcast Wednesday - 12/9

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Wed, 9 Dec 2009 18:06:00 -0800

Podcast Wednesday's back in effect! This week starts with an explanation as to how to access the new iTunes feed, but then goes on to talk about Office 2010, AT&T data charges, and the Barnes & Noble Nook. Soak it all in.

Subscribe with iTunes!

Windows 7 Family Pack Out the Door

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Mon, 7 Dec 2009 12:57:00 -0800

In a weird, scrooge-like holiday move, Microsoft has "sold out" of their Windows 7 Family Pack allotment, and it will no longer be available new from retailers. The Family Pack, which gave users three Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade licenses, was $150 new, compared to $120 for an individual Home Premium license. This nice discount was set to expire from the start, but it makes you wonder why Microsoft would pull this around the holiday. I can only imagine it's an attempt to get consumers to buy a new system or pay more for an upgrade, but neither sounds like something your average user would be overly eager to do in this economy.

Quick Hits - 12/6

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Sun, 6 Dec 2009 20:00:00 -0800

Dell Baseball Skins - I try to avoid unintentional promotions on this site as much as possible, but, being a big sports fan, I've gotta put this one out there. I'm not sure how long ago this started, but Dell's line of Studio laptops have the option of being customized with Major League Baseball skins, with all 30 teams being listed as options. There are three designs for each squad, but the "Classic" theme is far and away my favorite.

Verizon's Higher Early Termination Fees - They've got to defend their implementation in front of the FCC by December 17th. Verizon may find it easier to back down from their increase, which was from $175 to $350 for an "advanced device." My guess is that covers any phone that Verizon considers to be a "feature" phone, like the enV Touch, Dare, or Rogue, to smartphones like a Blackberry or Android phone. Their claim that this is necessary to cover the subsidy that results in the lower price of the phone is a bunch of nonsense. There can't be that many customers canceling the second they pick up their Motorola Droid to be costing the carrier that much dough.

Verizon's HTC Droid Eris Getting Android 2.0

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Fri, 4 Dec 2009 22:27:00 -0800

In a move that should make the Eris an awesome holiday gift for any Verizon smartphone user this year, Verizon has confirmed that the Eris will get an upgrade to the Android 2.0 operating system in early 2010. This means that it'll also have the cool Google Maps Navigation that only the Motorola Droid currently sports. At $99, with a buy-one-get-one-free deal going on right now from Verizon, getting this phone appears to be a no-brainer headed into the holidays, especially if you want to get one for a friend or family member. The lack of Android 2.0 was one of CNET's only drawbacks when it came to reviewing the phone.

Consumer Reports Talks Cell Phones

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Thu, 3 Dec 2009 09:42:00 -0800

In the January issue of Consumer Reports, the magazine gives some recommendations as to what cell phones they would recommend for each carrier. The iPhone, of course, gets their nod as the top smartphone on AT&T's network, while the HTC Touch Pro2 and BlackBerry Storm 9530 are picked for Verizon. I'm happy with their designation of the LG enV Touch as one of the best non-smartphones on Verizon. It has its issues, but so does every phone, and not every phone has such a great, roomy physical keyboard.

Verizon also was at the top of the list for customer service and satisfaction. Their number one complaint from their customers was the cost of their service, but I would imagine that may be due to a lack of other areas to complain about. Their data service, as I've mentioned many times before, is way above and beyond that of AT&T's. Speaking of AT&T, they don't rank second in service, but at the bottom with Sprint, behind T-Mobile. T-Mobile, however, is lagging behind when it comes to the network capabilities of the larger carriers.

Podcast Monday - 12/2

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Wed, 2 Dec 2009 13:23:00 -0800

Office 2010, the Verizon/AT&T feud, and Cyber Monday are all topics on this week's podcast. Sorry about the holiday last week, but I promise I'll be back on my game starting today.

Subscribe with iTunes!

(No) Podcast Wednesday - 11/25

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:54:00 -0800

Holiday's messin' me up this week, as I'll be out of town likely until Saturday. Also, since I only mobile update with my Sparty Sports blog, I likely won't be posting on here for the next few days. I should be back this weekend though, so Happy Thanksgiving!

AT&T's Silly "Map for That" Response

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:56:00 -0800

AT&T is clearly peeved at Verizon's "Map for That" ad campaign that knocks AT&T's nationwide 3G coverage. The legal battles between the two already resulted in Verizon dropping the phrase "out of touch" from the ads awhile ago, which makes sense. As it pertains to that phrase, I could actually see how some people would think they were literally "out of touch" because there was no voice coverage.

However, AT&T really doesn't have an argument against Verizon's revised line of ads that constantly take swipes at AT&T's 3G coverage area. So, beyond filing silly lawsuits, what does the former monopoly do to strike back? Hire Luke Wilson! Their silly commercials clearly attempt to aim at Verizon's current campaign, but actually fail to address the 3G coverage issue at all. If you're going to pimp the iPhone, as well as the rest of your smartphone lineup, go ahead and simply talk about that. Don't take a shot back at Big Red without having any comprehensive plan of counter-attack.

Apple is sort of helping AT&T out with their own iPhone ads that take clear shots at Verizon's Motorola Droid. That's all well and good for the exclusive carrier for the time being, but what happens when that exclusivity runs out? Maybe AT&T is just hoping they'll have their own colorful 3G map in the summer of 2010 so Apple won't have to come to their rescue.

Panasonic Plasma - Brightening the Picture

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:52:00 -0800

I've owned a Panasonic 46pz85u, a 2008 model 46" plasma, since Christmas of last year. I love the picture, and watch all of my TV, movies, and video games in "Cinema" mode, also known as "THX" on some newer models. Cinema provides the best flesh tones, color, black levels, and noise reduction out of all the display modes. The only issue I have with Cinema in comparison to the other modes is the lack of light output. I haven't personally measured the "Footlamberts," a measure of luminescence, emitted from the monitor, but it can't be that high, even with Contrast, or "Picture" as the panel calls it, turned up to 100.

So, what am I to do when the highest Picture setting in Cinema doesn't produce enough light? Well, I finally found a post that helped me figure out that the service menu can't up the Contrast from an HDMI or DVI source, but CAN change it from an analog source, such as component cables. I'll describe this process briefly for those who either have my model, or one like it, but CAUTION: WRITE DOWN DEFAULT SERVICE MENU SETTINGS BEFORE CHANGING ANYTHING!

1. On your panel, hold down the "Vol. -" button, while hitting "Info" on your panel's controller three times.

2. Once the service menu opens, you will see the setting "Contrast" there, and, if you have a component source plugged in, there should be a value next to Contrast other than 000, and a constantly changing value next to YMAX.

3. Adjust this value using the volume control on your controller. I would not recommend turning this setting up any higher than 10-15 notches above the default setting.

4. When you're done, hit the power button to turn your panel off, then turn it back on.

There you go. I saw a post for service menu access for other models, and know that the "Info" button could be substituted with the "Recall" button on some older panels. Just be very careful when playing around in there, as you don't want to kill your panel.

Podcast Thursday - 11/19

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:33:00 -0800

Got around to it, finally. This week, I discuss the Office 2010 Beta, Modern Warfare 2's sales, a possible move to Wordpress, and why I've been kinda late with the posts and podcasts recently.

Subscribe with iTunes!

(No) Podcast Wednesday - 11/18

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:14:00 -0800

Sorry my friends, but Podcast Wednesday will become Podcast Thursday this week, as I was sworn in as a member of the Michigan State Bar today, so no time to 'cast.

However, in my absence the Office 2010 Public Beta came out of its shell, and is available here. I've got it, but haven't played with it yet. Hopefully I'll be podcasting about it tomorrow after my morning interview.

Microsoft's Azure - Floating in Early '10

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:29:00 -0800

Ray Ozzie at PDC '08

I'm getting sworn-in as an attorney in Michigan tomorrow, so I figured I'd post this tonight while I'm not busy. Microsoft's cloud platform, Azure, is now said to be launching in early 2010. Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie made the call at PDC earlier today, and noted it will be available without cost in January, before becoming a pay service in February.

Easier Windows Update Access in Windows 7

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:28:00 -0800

For those of you who have picked up Windows 7 already, you may have noticed that you can't pin Windows Update to the start menu as you could in Vista. However, I've found a couple sites that mention ways to quickly access Windows Update regardless. HowToGeek.com mentions a way to actually pin Windows Update to the taskbar, if that's your kind of thing.

However, I prefer the "no tweak needed" access mentioned by a fellow Blogger on Cool Thing of the Day, who mentions you can pull up Windows Update with just two clicks. Just right click the Action Center (flag) icon on the right side of the taskbar, and "Open Windows Update" will be the bottom option! A nice, clean, easy way to access Windows Update compared to the start menu, especially if you've cluttered it with a lot of programs.

Quick Hits - 11/16

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:40:00 -0800

It's a late night quick hits tonight, and here are the interesting nuggets:

Office 2010 Beta - Should be available on Wednesday after it's announced at PDC. It was released to MSDN and TechNet subscribers today (lucky), but the rest of us still have a couple days to wait. I've been using the Technical Preview, and actually the difference that I'm most happy with is the ability to hide the Office ribbon.

Modern Warfare 2 Breaks Records - For my first time touching on gaming for a while, I'd like to give a nod to Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which has gotten rave reviews, and broken numerous sales records since it's release on the 12th.

Microsoft Uses Improper Code - In a somewhat classy move by Microsoft, Microsoft admitted that it used code from its USB/DVD Download Tool from a utility called ImageMaster. It then released its source code, as was called for by the ImageMaster license. A strange gaffe on Microsoft's part, one they may have known about, but all appears to be forgiven.

Office 2010 Beta Site

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:36:00 -0800

Just thought I'd post it here now so you'd be able to pick it up once it becomes active sometime this week, but here's the Office 2010 Beta website. It appears you'll be able to select from Home and Business (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, OneNote, Outlook and Office Web Apps), Professional (Adds Publisher and Access) and Professional Plus (Adds Infopath, Communicator and SharePoint Workspace).

Quick Hits – 11/13

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:26:00 -0800

Every once in a while, I’ll come up with an article that just touches on some recent news. Today’s the first issue, and here we go:

Verizon iPhone? – We have the Verizon/iPhone talk AGAIN, but this discussion is slightly more descriptive of how things would go down. Apple Insider is noting that there's a dual-mode chip that Qualcomm’s working on currently that could be used for the iPhone. However, it’d probably be relatively expensive, and wouldn’t be available until possibly 2011. When it’s all said and done, it sounds like Verizon very well could come out with a CDMA-only iPhone in the second half of 2010.

Office 2010 Beta 2 Leaks – Neowin is apparently reporting that a Beta 2 build of Office 2010 Professional Plus is making the rounds on various torrent sites. If you ever had the Office 2010 Technical Preview, which I’ll continue to run until the public beta comes out next week, the TP keys apparently work for this build as well.

Podcast Wednesday - 11/11

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:14:00 -0800

I'm going to start doing weekly podcasts every Wednesday here on the Cold Boot website. Despite my current sickness, I do (try) to touch on podcast submissions to iTunes, Blogger vs. Wordpress, and a few Windows 7 tips and tricks. Soak it all in.

Subscribe with iTunes!

Trying Out New Technology

sparty73@gmail.com (Brendan Dennis) — Mon, 9 Nov 2009 17:52:00 -0800

Over the last week, I’ve decided to make a few upgrades to the site. Upgrades that, hopefully, will make it a little more attractive and accessible to those searching for information in the technology realm.

I already had established an RSS feed through Blogger, but I decided to go a little further by using Feedburner. Feedburner, which, like Blogger, is now run by Google, gives me the ability to track RSS subscriptions, make podcasting easier, and add sharing options to my Blogger page. One of the purposes of this post is to test the sharing options, such as Facebook and Digg, and see if they appear at the bottom of this post.

In terms of podcasting, that’s been a bit more difficult. First, it was tough finding file space that allowed direct linking to the .mp3 for access to the podcast. It took a while to figure out how the direct link works, but Windows SkyDrive actually provides a TON of space (25 free gigs), and it’s quite easy to upload files (not folders, however, unfortunately).

After finding space, setting up a podcast through Feedburner was easy, but submitting it to the iTunes Store for availability through their podcast directory has been impossible, literally. iTunes is constantly giving me a “We are experiencing technical difficulties. Try again later” message, despite the feed address working perfectly fine when I manually subscribe to it through iTunes myself. Hopefully I can get that rectified though, and podcasts can be a regular feature here on Cold Boot.

Finally, you may notice that I was able to put up a new address bar logo, also known as a “favicon,” up on the site. That actually takes a bit of manual HTML editing, but the unique site logo in the address bar makes it all worth it.