My New “Kindle” Device

Will Truman 2 Comments

Since this has come up once or twice previously, I thought I would share what I did with the Kindle device (as soon as it stops depressing me, I’ll talk politics, I swear). I got my wife a standard Kindle, but I’ve been using it more than she has. This is mostly a product of her work schedule. She does plan to use it, and when she does, I wouldn’t be able to use it anymore. Obviously, a solution was in order. The problem is that I didn’t just want to read books, but also comic books. And, come to think of it, watching videos would be nice. Besides, I don’t need the e-ink. I looked at the Kindle Fire, but was underwhelmed by its specs. That got me thinking about getting a used tablet. That would at least let me know if I would use it. If I used it a lot, or if I wanted something more particular, maybe I’d get another somewhere down the line and put this one to secondary use. The beauty of buying used is that you can do that sort of thing.

I settled on the Samsung Galaxy Tab. The seven inch version, because I wanted to try small first. It was $185 on eBay and came in arrived in good shape (word to the wise: if you buy used, get something that has had a screen protector on it). It came with a 32GB memory card and a car mount (which I can’t imagine using), though it did not come with documentation. It also had rubber casing, though I replaced that with a full-on cover.

In short: I love it. I loved it so much that I decided to take the plunge and get Android phones. Just as I would rather get a used ThinkPad over a new Dell, I think it’s a much better value than a new Kindle Fire. At least for my purposes. It does have Kindle on it and the Kindle software is more than adequate. Google is pushing for its own book ecosystem on there, though I am likely going to stick with Kindle. Samsung Galaxy products can view Divx files right out of the box (no software encoding required). I did not opt for the data plan, though it is compatible with my cell carrier (Verizon).

So if you’re looking for an e-reader, but want more than an e-reader, I can recommend going the route that I did. You may be concerned about buying used, but I’ve had good luck with it. I typically get smartphones used and, though they’re not flawless, I’m not willing to pay twice the price for flawless.

Three Kinds of Troublemakers

Will Truman 37 Comments

I’ve always been torn as to whether or not to write about my adventures in substitute teaching on NaPP since it’s not really political and most non-political stuff goes on Hit Coffee but it is sociological. I had a two-fer assignment today, with the first period a 3rd grade class and the second period a 5th grade. The former was probably the best performance I have turned in to date. The latter was one of the most challenging classes I have filled in for. I’d actually filled in for the class before. It was a bad experience, but I thought I had screwed up. Nope.

Anyhow, the observation of the day is that there are really three kinds of male troublemakers in school (maybe in life).

The Bad Egg Group

The first are Bad Eggs. There’s usually one or two of these in every class. Sometimes it seems to be a manifestation of other problems they’re having. The overlap between Bad Eggs and special instruction is not insignificant. Sometimes, though, they’re just Bad Eggs. You know that the future holds nothing good in store for them (and, likely, people around them).

The Impulse Group

The second group is perhaps the most perplexing. It’s also the smallest group. It’s the kid who is basically a Really Good Kid, save for some serious impulse control problems. They want to be quiet. They want to be good. They try harder than any other student in the classroom to help you. But they’re also among the biggest troublemakers. They just can’t help themselves. I had to report to the teacher that the single-most helpful kid in the room was one of a handful on the Worst List. He was also the first kid I have yelled at since beginning my substitute teaching tenure. Bad Eggs may be less pleasant to deal with insofar as the Impulse Kids, who are at least good or great half or a majority of the time, but they’re easier to deal with.

The Osmosis Group.

The third group are those that absorb the mood of the class. You get the sense that in a good environment or on a good day, they’re fine. But they become a part of any problem that exists. These are actually the most problematic only because they are the most numerous. You try to get them to behave and they simply point the finger at someone who is behaving worse (typically an Egg or an Impulse). These are also the Give Them An Inch kids. You give them an inch, which they may or not be able to handle, but then Bad Egg and Impulse will take a mile and these kids will be right behind them.

It’s only the Bad Eggs that you feel good about writing up. One of the interesting aspects is that when I make my list at the end of the day, even in a really bad class like this one (this class apparently drove two different substitute teachers into retirement over the course of the year), there are only two or three Bad Eggs at most. Then you throw in a couple Impulse Kids and the Osmosis Brigade comes out of the woodwork and at that point, there is so much cover for noise that you can’t single anybody out because almost everyone else is talking and goofing around.

Monday Trivia No. 56

Burt Likko 27 Comments

Frankly, I think there’s more than meets the eye with the statistics underlying this week’s list, but all the information comes from the government so who am I to question it?

Anyway, the top ten nations on this week’s list are, in descending order: United Arab Emirates (2.06), Saudi Arabia (1.94), Macau (1.94), Cayman Islands (1.90), Hong Kong (1.88), Panama (1.85), Antigua and Barbuda (1.84), Montenegro (1.78), Russia (1.72), and Vietnam (1.68).

The bottom ten are, in ascending order: Myanmar – or Burma if you prefer (.01), North Korea (.02), Eritrea (.03), American Samoa (.03), Solomon Islands (.05), Marshall Islands (.06), Somalia (.06), Ethiopia (.07), Cuba (.09), and Kiribati (.10).

The United States of America (.89) is at the midpoint, number 110 on the list — in between Paraguay (.90) and Indonesia (.89). By way of comparison, Mexico (.79) is number 125, Canada (.70) is number 143, and the United Kingdom (1.28) is number 40. For our ANZAC Readers, New Zealand (1.16) is number 63 and Australia (1.02) is number 89.

The list consists of 219 nations, nearly all of which are recognized by the United Nations; however, I was unable to find complete data for South Sudan so it is not included in the list.

Product Placement

Will Truman 1 Comment

In the scene of the second episode of Fringe, a woman is opening a Kia Sedona. I guess Kia isn’t paying them for it, because they replaced the Kia logo with a generic one, but I guess it was too much trouble to replace the Sedona decal?

I don’t know why, but knowing which cars the characters are driving is a subject of interest to me. Particularly since there is so little consistency. One week, FringeDiv drives Ford, the next Lincoln. Those are both Ford products, but I’ve even seen it switch the Chevy, even though all of the vehicles look about the same. But the entire fleet changes from one week to the next.

This isn’t as bad as Chase was, though. On Chase, in three straight episodes, the main character had three separate smartphones. One week, she was specifically given an iPhone as a gift. But the next week, she was using what was conspicuously a Windows Phone 7 phone, and the next week a generic Androidy phone.

I don’t know why I am as fixated on some of this stuff as I am, but it’s something I’ve been keeping an eye out on for a while now. It used to seem that every laptop someone used was an Apple. At some point, I guess, Microsoft started paying up because you would get a black laptop with a generic Windows logo on the back of it. When it’s not one of these things, it’s as often as not going to be some generic-ish logo like on the pseudo-Kia. Usually a globe.

One of the interesting things I’ve noticed is how frequently I am seeing a non-standard OS. Maybe this has always been the case and I just never noticed it until recently. We all remember the Mac/PC hybrid in Office Space, right? It seems like a Mac right up until you get to the C-prompt as Peter is shutting down. Anyhow, on Person of Interest, Burke is using a non-standard OS that looks just a little Linuxy. I suppose if you want a generic-looking OS, Linux is a pretty good place to start from. I’ve never seen a brand, though (Ubuntu, SUSE, etc), so I guess the Linux makers aren’t paying up.

Now, if it were me, I would show it anyway. It’s the sort of thing that can get a segment of a show’s viewership talking (“Burke uses SUSE!”). Not a large segment, but a passionate one. Is there a ban on that? I mean, if I was making a movie, would I have to get Microsoft’s permission to show Windows? Lenovo’s to use my Thinkpad (without obscuring the logo)? I am thinking not, provided that you’re not relying on the product. Any Linux distro worth its grain of salt would likely have no problem with it. Nor would Microsoft, though presumably they’re at the point where they would want Microsoft to pony up. I actually wonder if that’s the reason for the shift away from Windows: “We’re not going to use your product in our product unless you pay us to.”

Or something like that.

Speaking of Fringe and endorsements, one of the things I wonder is the usage of Harvard in that show. Now, they’re using Harvard University when it’s actually Harvard College, but I’m not sure that distinction matters. And, in any event, they use college brand names all the time in a way that does actually lean on the product. By which I mean, if they want a super-intelligent (or snooty, for that matter) individual, they’ll say “He went to Harvard.” Which is actually different than happening to use a Thinkpad. You’re relying on the brand to give information about the character. I assume Harvard does not object, but can it? You rarely see the logo, which might be crossing a line, though Chuck’s title character flashed off a degree that looked very much like a Stanford degree. And, additionally, did not call it Stanford University or Stanford College, which might be the dodge that they may be using for Harvard, but rather “Leland Stanford Junior University” which is apparently Stanford’s full name (I did not know until I saw it on TV).

I do wonder how the rules on these things go.

Fifty Shades Of Grey: The Family-Friendly Version

Burt Likko 4 Comments

Anastasia Steele nervously waited to interview the mysterious gazillionaire Christian Grey. His office was elegantly decorated in a spare, ultra-modern fashion. His attractive receptionist showed Ana in.

Tall, younger than she had anticipated, and very handsome, Grey shook her hand and looked directly into her eyes with a penetrating and hypnotic gaze, wholly in command — yet Ana sensed vulnerability behind those strong eyes, too.

“I find you very, very attractive, Ms. Steele,” he said

Ana blushed, self-conscious of her own trivial physical imperfections and romantic inexperience. “Thank you, Mr. Grey.”

“Let’s dispense with the interview for your college newspaper, shall we?”

“I… Okay.”

Then they went on several dates in glamorous locations and had a passionate, fulfilling love affair. Grey was a powerful but ultimately tender lover who gave Ana everything.

FIN

Who Needs a Nose? I’m Full of Spite

Will Truman 3 Comments

Yesterday, I actually came to the defense of cell phone companies. Sort of. I basically argued that we are better off with the national consolidations we have than we were in a more competitive market with more local and regional carriers. So I guess I had it coming when later that day my carrier, Verizon, pissed me off. So much so that I am considering returning the phones we have on order and going off-contract.

Our contract ends two days from now. I looked around and determined that yes, we are to be with Verizon for at least two more years. It also turns out that we are due for some cell phone upgrades to finally leave Windows Mobile Island. Android is finally ready for me, or ready enough (more on this later, if anyone cares). So it all works out.

The truth is, I hate being under contract. I avoided it for years and years by buying my own cell phones. But two years ago, Verizon basically made an offer I couldn’t refuse. And then, as now except even moreso, I was sure that I was in for at least a two-year haul. I’m less sure that’s the case now, but still pretty sure. AT&T has raised prices to the point that they’ve lost their price advantage and I don’t like their cell phone selection as much. Sprint and T-Mobile are not options.

So I sign up to extend the contract and lo-and-behold, Verizon has joined the other carriers in offering an “upgrade fee.” It’s $30 a line. Truthfully, I’m paying $200 less than I had budgeted for on the subsidized phones, so the $60 doesn’t bother me in the slightest. But on principle, I am really angry about this. It reminds me why I hate cell phone companies and why I don’t like being tied to any single one of them.

So why does this irritate me? Because they’ve made it abundantly clear they want me under contract. They provide all of the incentives to get me to reluctantly agree to sign on for a period of time in exchange for a cheaper phone. So why are they charging me for something they want me to do? Like it’s a convenience for me to not be able to change carriers or downgrade service for two years? If they’re not making enough money on the subsidized phones plus contract, then charge more for the dang phones. Rationally, this is a distinction without a difference. Except that this way they get to tack on the $30 only after your mouth is watering at the new toy.

I struggle, however, to come up with a rational basis not to move forward. As long as we’re with Verizon on our current data plans for another year, which is a given, we end up ahead. There is the possibility of downgrading Dr. Wife’s plan since she doesn’t use data all that much, but I remain eternally hopeful that she will someday use the phone to its capability. There are various companies I boycott or avoid due to what I consider dishonest, antagonistic, or otherwise bad business practices (Best Buy, HP for a while, and one other one whose name escapes me). This is a reminder that there are no cell phone companies for which this is not the case.

Bleg: Bluetooth Earpiece

Will Truman 4 Comments

As I look for an opening to make a transition to Android for my smartphone alignment, I am stymied by a few things. One of which is my apparent need for a particular type of Bluetooth earpiece. I am hoping that one of you has or is familiar with what I am looking for. It needs to be:

1) A single-ear earpiece. Something with an optional latch-on for a second ear is okay, provided that I can take it out.

2) A2DP-compliant. If you don’t know what that means, it basically means that it needs to be able to pick up not only phone calls and rings, but also general audio such as the music coming from an MP3 player on the device.

3) AVRCP-compliant with a Pause/Play button on the earpiece (note, on the earpiece, not on a separate thing I have to put in my pocket or clip on). I want to be able to pause and play MP3s from the headset.

4) Preferred: Micro-USB connected. Mini-USB is okay. If its proprietary, this isn’t a dealbreaker. If you don’t know what the hell this is talking about, disregard it for now and suggest anything that meets criteria #1-3.

The Plantronics Voyager 855 actually meets this criteria, but I hate it. It’s uncomfortable, looks goofy, and they pulled it off the market quickly (perhaps because it is uncomfortable and looks goofy) and so it’s not easy to get a hold of. So if anyone has a lead on something I can shift to, let me know.

Late Monday Trivia #55

Will Truman 13 Comments

Category A: Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia*, and Wisconsin.

Category B: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania*, and Rhode Island*.

Category C: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, and Wyoming.

* denotes a close call or ambiguous case.

The Upside To The Spam Invasion

Will Truman 8 Comments

I just went through and deleted 11 comments that made it through the filter. It’s a real pain (and I suspect Burt is doing more than I am on this front), but there is an upside: It’s drawing attention to old posts. I commented on one of Elias’s without even realizing how old it was and maybe doing a follow-up post over here. We have a great backlog of material, and the spambots are finding them for us.

Thanks!

(You can leave now. Seriously.)

UPDATE BY BURT LIKKO ON 3/24/12: Spam count now exceeds 31,000 since this started on Friday. That’s a lot of fake viagra.

Spamalot

Burt Likko 2 Comments

Wow. In the past three days, over five thousand spam posts here on this sub-blog alone. About a dozen made it through the spam filters and one had enough correctly-spelled words and proper English syntax to pass over the threshold for potentially being a real comment.

Sergei and Yoshii must have a lot of fake Viagra to unload. Anyway, I think I’ve got them all weeded out. Sorry for the annoyance.