State of XBOne September 2014

Technology Grade 4

With the surprise September update released at the end of August, a lot of questions and concerns that plagued the XBOne at launch have either been answered, addressed or in the process of being addressed. The one thing that can be said about Microsoft is that they are listening to their consumers and are addressing issues consistently and quickly.

3D movie playback – check, media playback from external hard drives – check, better access to connecting and sharing with friends – check, booting directly to TV mode option – check, etc, etc. Microsoft has settled into an average monthly update cycle for their console which has led to a device that is slowly becoming a multimedia power house. My synopsis on what Microsoft is attempting to do is that they want to be the hub of entertainment in the home. It doesn't matter what you want to do from an entertainment point of view, the XBOne can have you covered. What also helps is the adjustment of the pay wall under Xbox Live allowing for apps like Netflix and Amazon instant video to be used without a live account.

The XBOne might not be the most popular choice in consoles right now but Microsoft continues to give gamers and consumers alike, more reasons why they should pick the XBOne. The number and caliber of games available for the XBOne continue to grow and this will keep gamers interested.  To follow up on my XBOnefollow up post, Microsoft is slowly fleshing out its console. They started with a skeleton when the XBOne was released almost a year ago and they have slowly fleshed it out so next is for Microsoft to muscle up its console with even more features and options that consumers are looking for.

The real question here is “What feature do you want to see on the XBOne?” Think about it, ask about it and make it know because you can never say who else wants that feature as well and Microsoft seems to be listening. With that being said, when am I going to get my multi-sized snap window for the TV app? That’s what I’m waiting for. Anyone else looking for this feature? 

The Lab's 3D Printer is on its way

Technology Grade 7

After envisioning a 3D printer in The Lab early last year and setting a goal of having one by the summer of 2014. I have delivered on that promise Ladies and Gentlemen. With less than 24 hours of spring remaining I finally hit the ‘place order’ button on the first 3D printer for DRSLevy Labs Incorporated.

The printer that I decided to purchase was the Asterid 1000HB3D Printer. The final deciding factors were build volume and the heated printing bed made of Borosilicate glass. Along with the form factor, which was a boxed design vs an open build platform design were the deciding factors. I went over budget by $12 but that was primarily because of the $42 shipping fee. Can’t account for everything unfortunately.

I went over the details of my short short list which was basically the Asterid and the Solidoodle models based on price, print volume, form factor and feature set. There were two things that really stood out that allowed me to be comfortable with the decision I made. One was the heated bed. The fact that it was heated and was made of a material that would reduce the overall maintenance and calibration of the unit was a huge plus. Another was that the maximum build volume was over 100% greater than the comparable Solidoodle model. That being said or written, I can undoubtedly say that I know that the correct decision was made based on the criteria that I set for purchasing the printer. I will be posting updates once I receive the printer and start printing.

I want to thank the following people in no particular order except for my wife, Thato Levy, who has always encouraged and allowed me to do what I love most, Technology and always has words of encouragement or wisdom when needed. She above everyone else reserves my love and everlasting Thanks. Julian Stephenson, Nathaniel Stephenson, Nestor Galvan, Daniel Robles and Marco Miranda. Thank you all for your direct contribution and your future endeavors within The Lab.  This is the beginning of another chapter in my life that I hope will conclude in a book that everyone will one day want to read. 

3D printer short list (Tech grade 7)

3D printer short list (Tech grade 7)

I have short listed the 3D printers that I am considering. Some of the limiting factors that I have adhered to is low cost, largest print volume per dollar spent on printer and ease of setup. Since this is my first 3d printer, I didn’t want to go all out and get a $3,000 unit that I would end up using maybe once or twice a month depending on how things go. Over the last year the entry level 3D printer selection has grown to the point that there are multiple options for anyone to choose from based on what their needs are. 

We are truly on the edge of a new hardware revolution here. Similar to the PC revolution where computers went from these exorbitantly priced room filling devices that did things the everyday person didn’t understand to must have devices that people can’t do without today. Will 3D printers get to that level!!! Only time will tell but I am getting started now and here is my short list of 3D printers, of which I will be getting one this weekend:

1.       Asterid 1000S Desktop 3D Printer – I found this one recently. The price point and build volume is good and even though, the features are very basic, upgradable parts are readily available to add value and functionality when needed.

2.       Solidoodle 2nd Generation Pro – This is one of the front runners for my choice, The print volume is in the middle of the range that I have seen but the solidoodle printers have a good reputation from what I’ve seen online and the build quality looks very mature. To be honest, any of the solidoodle printers are a viable option, it really depends on how much I will be willing to spend.

3.       RigidBot 3D Printer – What I really like about this one is the fact that it was designed with expandability in mind. The print volume can be increased by swapping out specific parts, I found this one recently as well, it is on the short list but availability might be the deciding factor with this one as it is a new comer and currently not available.

4.       PrintrbotNew Simple Maker’s Kit – Last but not least is printrbot. It has the smallest print area but the price makes up for this fact. It’s also one of the more popular entry level 3D printers available and is definitely on the short short list.

These are the most viable units for me right now. What are your thoughts, suggestions and concerns? I would love to hear from everyone what they think of the printers/short list or the future of 3D printing in the comments section. 

Starter Blog Technology Grades

I came up with the idea to grade my blogs based on a 1-10 range that would indicate how tech savvy you would need to be to follow along. I am doing this because I will still be posting the higher level  tech stuff and want it to be clear that I don’t expect everyone to know what I’m talking about. The range is self-explanatory and if you get to a number that you don’t understand, then the previous one is your Tech Grade, so here we go:

Tech Grade 1 - What is Android and what can I do with it? (If you don’t know the answer to this question, you’re grade 1)

Tech Grade 2 - The tools I own consist of a flat head screwdriver and that other one that’s shaped like a plus or a cross. (If this is you then you’re a 2)

Tech Grade 3 - I click yes/accept to everything that pops up on my screen when I’m using my computer. (If you do this, you’re in trouble. I’ll do a post for this one really soon and you’re no more than a level 3)

Tech Grade 4 - When I bought my laptop/phone they said it would last {Insert manufacturers estimated run time here} but it never lasts that long. (If you don’t know why, you’re a 4)

Tech Grade 5 - If you know what net neutrality is how much it can affect you on a daily basis within the next few years then you belong here.

Tech Grade 6 - I've logged into my wireless router and setup my network ID and password a few times. (Welcome to Level 6)

Tech Grade 7 - I don’t call anyone to fix my technology issues unless I don’t have the time or I know a professional/colleague that can do it better than me. (I’m somewhere between 7 and 9 depending on the time of day)

Tech Grade 8 - I've corrected a few repair techs or product specialists in my lifetime. (I've actually did this a few times)

Tech Grade 9 - I used an Arduino micro controller to design my own lighting system for my desktop computer.

Tech Grade 10 - I got bored with the 3D printing software that was available for my printer so I created/designed my own. (Yeah, if you know how to do this, then what are you doing reading my Blog!!!! Seriously???)

Disclaimer: This list is not a singular universal range to determine how tech savvy everyone is but is just my interpretation of what I think that readers/followers of my blog would know in relation to their knowledge of technology.

Starter Blog evolution

“Technology for the everyday person.” This will be the mantra for the Starter Blog going forward. The reality is that there is a growing gap between people that understand how to utilize their technology to its maximum potential and people who struggle to use said technology.

I feel that I am uniquely positioned to help those who struggle with technology to at least bridge that gap. I will address issues that I feel impact technology and the widening gap that is separating the everyday person from the technology elite.

Devices like smart phones that so many of us possess but only a small percentage utilize over 50% of the features available that could potentially increase productivity and reduce frustration in many ways on a daily basis.

Please feel free to ask questions and leave comments on the Blog in regards to any subject matter or any issues you feel need to be addressed. 

FTP Server 2.0

I have decided to finally try to narrow down my Blog focus but that will be the subject of another post, for now I will continue to concentrate on the server and setting it up as an FTP server.

When I originally decided to switch to vsftpd it was on the basis that I would eventually learn how to administer this ftp server and in the process give everyone some insight into how to do this themselves. The reality is that most of the setup is via command line/terminal and if you don't know what that is then you are my target audience. 

For those of you who don't know what command line/terminal is click on the related word and you will find out. Today, everyone uses a GUI to interact with their corresponding OS. The command line continues to be the primary way that engineers, programmers, and hackers interact with their OS's at a level which allows them to access and create content.  

I want to limit and even eliminate the need for anyone utilizing my Blog having to use the command line/terminal to duplicate anything I do here. Of such, my search continues and I stumbled upon crushftp which does have a version for the three OS's used by over 99% of users today. Unlike filezilla that was only available for Windows as a server and vsftpd which is for unix based operating systems.

Unfortunately, when using linux, there will always be a time when you have to utilize the terminal interface to complete a task and crushftp is no different. Similar to vsftpd, I was able to successfully setup local assess and verify that it works but the remote access continues to be elusive. 

Another goal for my Blog is to complete these tasks/setups on a budget. Spending as little as possible is a real goal in every thing that I have accomplished so far. More out of necessity than just attempting to just because I want to. Crushftp is free to try for 30 days, there is a paid license fee that starts at $40 for home use. 

The goal is to setup remote access using crushftp before the 30 day trial is over and report back on it and that's only if I don't find another method that's simpler, quicker and cheaper. More updates to come, any thoughts and suggestions are welcome in the comments section.

Putting the Server to use update

My previous findings about utilizing FileZilla as a server for my FTP was a misguided and uneducated selection. Purely based on the fact that as the server, FileZilla only works on Windows computers and my Server is running Ubuntu/Linux. 

It took me about an hour to figure that out and then another hour to find another free way to setup an FTP server on a Linux computer. I found and installed vsftpd. I was able to get it setup and initialized for local access on my network. It gets really complicated setting it up for remote access which I have started and will try to finish by the end of this week.

It included signing up for a free DNS at no-ip.com and setting up port forwarding in my router settings. There are a lot of tutorials out there that give great step by step instructions but you really have to piece together the missing answers to questions that only you will have based on the fact that your ISP, Computer, Operating system version and luck in getting a free DNS will be different from everyone else. 

I will say that I am actually very happy with the amount of work I was able to accomplish in under 12 hours. I am an engineer but I did not study webdesign nor networking to this extent so from that perspective, I am learning as I go along. Will keep you all posted. 

Let's put the server to use!!!!!!!!

It's been quiet on my Blog I must admit, I've been busy with life and trying to think up some new ideas. One thing that has definitely not been getting any love is the server. Since putting it into commission a few months ago, I really haven't been using it for anything. 

I will start setting up an FTP server on the server for now, my library grows everyday, I have a need to move my files off of the cloud and have my own space (Thanks Danny for the donated storage). To start, I'll use FileZilla to setup the FTP. I'll chronicle the setup tomorrow. Stay tuned.

How to end a ten year relationship

If you clicked this link, thinking that it was about a physical relationship, it is but not the type you're probably thinking about. My relationship with Sprint PCS started approximately ten years ago and it was, as all relationships are in the beginning, awesome. It was cheap, reliable, all of my friends & family liked it and it fit my needs at the time. 

As time went by, as in all relationships, things changed. Sometimes for the good, like when they had the premier program is what I think they called it and I was able to upgrade every year as opposed to the industry standard of two years. Then sometimes for the bad like when they ended the premier program and decided to go with 4G WiMax instead of LTE. From a short term point of view, the decision to roll out with WiMax as opposed to LTE at the time meant that Sprint would be first to market with 4G speeds and technology. Ruling the beginning of the 4G era within the United States with their flag ship device the HTC Evo 4G (Which I owned and loved), not to be confused with the Evo 4G LTE. But once everyone else locked in on LTE which was the true next generation technology, Sprint's grasp on possibly being a power player in the wireless communication business within the United States really begun to slip. 

During all this, I was an avid believer in the dream that Sprint would pull through and even though they were not the cheapest solution anymore the service provided was not any worse than anyone else out there. the relationship continued to sour when SoftBank purchased Sprint and amplified the picture of discord and no clear vision of the future. To highlight the mayhem even more was the fact that carriers were beginning to think outside of the box in regards to contracts and phone upgrades.

This is where I get to the point where I unceremoniously dumped Sprint for another carrier that was able to meet my needs in not only technology, pricing and services but in the way they decided to give their customers the option to upgrade whenever they wanted in order to always have the latest technology in a fair and economical way. This breakup was well deserved as all friends and family that liked Sprint in the beginning, slowly migrated away, in truth I was the last to say Good Bye. It was not bitter, it was in frustration and pain that I had to end this long term relationship. 

3D Printing research

I've found two books that I've been reading over the last week. Learned a lot as far as the software and from concept to reality is concerned. There is basically three software stages. Modeling, Slicing and Fixup. The three separate process are sometimes combined in some way or form depending on the software being used and not all users and or software refer to the different stages as these names. 

I won't go into the details of each section as I am only concentrating on the basic knowledge and know how at this time. My ultimate goal is that anyone will be able to start reading my journey from start to finish and not feel over whelmed with the prospect of diving into 3D printing. Once I finish reading the books that I found. I will probably complete a short review on them and then my readers can decide if they want to use these books as I have. 

On another note, I have also rethought the printer picking process. I think I might get a used one as opposed to a new one for 2 reasons. 

1. It will definitely be cheaper. Early adapters out there that bout one early on and now want to upgrade will probably want to get rid of an earlier model.

2. By getting a used 3D printer, the previous user and support forums will have more tips and content for me to utilize while learning about 3D printing.

Finally, I want to close out today's post with a new 3D printer that I saw via my twitter feed this morning. The Micro might truly be the break out 3D printer of the year, meeting its kickstarter goal in just 11 minutes!!!! Can you say WOW? If they are able to deliver, they will definitely give Makerbot some real competition in the entry level 3D printing space. Santa might have a lot more requests for 3D printers next holiday season.

Post Degree 3D printing

Now that I feel that I have caught up with the world of TV since I graduated last year and my reading hiatus is almost at an end I feel the urge to start learning about new stuff again. In preparation for my 3D printer purchase later this year, I will start reading and learning about everything in the world of 3D printing until then. I will also chronicle my process of learning and mastering the 3D printing world.

Today I will start with narrowing down software to design 3D stuff. I will also utilize thingiverse as a place where I can get files that are completed and use these as examples while I experiment. Remember I will be picking one of these 3D printers within the next 2 to 3 months so recommendations are welcome. 

3D Printer for The Lab

I started looking at 3D printers for the lab. I definitely decided that the first one will have to be a cheaper one, sub $1000. Not because I don't want to spend a lot of money but because I would rather start off with a cheaper one and get my skills and design experience up before spending more money on a better model. Also, by getting a cheaper model first, I won't be as apprehensive to modify the printer by adjusting settings and parts. 

I have narrowed it down to this manufacturer. So now the question is, which one. I don't care for the finished look of the product. It doesn't have to look all fancy so don't think about looks, I'm more concerned with the capabilities, like print area/volume and print resolution. Like I said this will be the first one for testing and getting my feet wet. If anyone has any ideas or inputs please post a reply.

Time to start shopping for a new carrier

After almost ten years with sprint, I think its time for this long term relationship to end, especially after seeing this article. It really hit home that Sprint probably isn't going to make it after multiple years of not being profitable.

I want to make it clear that I was always rooting for them to make it  just based on the fact that Sprint was always the underdog. I had the HTC Evo with WiMax and I currently have the Note 2 but the services provided continue to deteriorate and comparing the service to the competitors is getting to be depressing regards to the level of service and network speeds available.

The Softbank buyout of Sprint brought me some hope and maybe it is still a work in progress but I feel like I'm in the middle of a bad relationship going worse and my services are suffering as a result. So that bring me to my next question/decision. If I do switch, which carriers should I consider??????

XBOne Pit stop followup

This is a perfect example of sometimes in life it is the simplest things that are to blame. Literally five minutes after my initial post I started trouble shooting my system. By the time I had posted XBOne Pit stop My system had went blank at least five times. Needless to say that I was getting very annoyed and upset. 

One of the reasons I waited so long before I started trouble shooting this issue is because one should always take a detailed approach to figuring out an issue that could be caused by several different possibilities. The time I took to write my blog actually gave me the clarity and time to think about what approach to take in figuring out what the issue was.

So I am sure all of you are awaiting the resolution to my issue!!!! It was simply a loose HDMI cable between my XBOne and my receiver. The first thing I did was to start checking all the connections between the XBOne and the TV. Maybe one of the times I disconnected it to carry it somewhere else and the cable got loose when reconnecting. Obviously it continued to get worse as time went by as the cable got looser and looser.  

I had recommendations to get my updates but that's one of the reasons I waited as well. I thought that the February/March updates would fix it but instead, it continued to get worse. 

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Part II

One week later I have burned through two and a half seasons of the Clone Wars. This was no easy feat as I have been working and performing other duties as needed over the last 7 days. I see the series definitely connecting a few dot that were not connected on the original and new trilogy. This in essence has served as a story filler for all the things that were left assumed to be known. 

Season 3 episode 15 has made a turn for the very interesting and I wonder if it has anything to do with the books? I haven't read a lot of the Star Wars books and I know that some of them are based on Luke and not necessarily the story line being followed by the Clone Wars. 

I think it is about time I start reading the books as they will complete the entire story. Maybe the clone wars is a synopsis of the books in their entirety. Once I finish watching the clone wars, I will then watch the old and new trilogies to get a fully understanding of how they all fit together. Then I will start reading the books. It's about time i start reading again anyway. This will be a good opportunity for me to catch up on my reading.


P.S.: Don't you love double post days!

XBOne Pit stop

The weak links in the XBOne are finally showing up. I started noticing occasional bank screen issues after the December update but they were few and far apart. currently I am noticing this is occurring at least once every 3-4 hours that I spend using the console. This is not while playing games as I mostly use my XBOne for multimedia purposes (Netflix, Vudu and watching  cable tv via TV/HDMI in) but I must confess that I haven't started any in depth diagnosis/troubleshooting yet. There is a possibility that the updates has increased the sensitivity of the HDCP (High definition Content Protection) triggers and as a result, because my Receiver is at least 5 years old, it might not be playing nice with the XBOne. 

I will try to spend some time exploring this theory but it would me rewiring my entire system and also reprogramming my harmony remote. Not something I look forward to doing but I think I must do it sooner or later to save my sanity. As I sit here typing this up, the screen has blanked out no less than 3 times. I hope its not a hardware issue as I cannot afford to replace anything right now. as far as the XBOne is concerned, if it is the culprit, I have no issues shipping it off to microsoft for it to be repaired. I will definitely keep you all updated on this one.

Handy man Moment

The bathroom Faucet started making a funny whistling noise from earlier this week so I, as usual, embarked on figuring it out. Maybe I'll take some pics to show that there are no screws nor openings to dismantle the faucet. I had to figure out how to open it up. No model number, brand name nor serial number so I took to trusty Google and started searching for anything remotely similar to the one that i had and bingo! 10 minutes later I had it figured out. The moral of today's post is two fold:

1. It takes a lot of patience to figure out most of the stuff that I do in my handy man posts and believe it or not so can you as long as you have the patience to learn as you go and triple check everything you do.

2. Google (the internet actually) is rapidly becoming that guy that every one knows who knows how to fix everything that saves you a ton of money. 

P.S. : Pictures are easy, here we go:

Lets see who can post how to open this bad boy up first. 

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Started Binge watching the clone wars last week when it was added to Netflix instant watch. each episode is approximately 20 minutes long so its mostly action and little fluff. I'm currently half way through season 2 and still enjoying it.

Obviously animated so not as serious as the movies but at the same time, it is slowly answering all thos small questions that were all over the place from the movies.

XBOne follow up

     I find myself using my XBOne more and more everyday. The snap function has become an integral part of my multimedia consumption on a daily basis. Weather it be watching two programs at the same time or playing Forza while watching a game, this console has truly started the multitasking era of the console wars. In addition the Xbox fitness app for free with xbox gold is a nice touch and another feature that I have been using a lot more than my gym membership unfortunately. The only thing I wish is that my living room was larger.
     The snap feature is great but as far as the TV app is concerned, the next software update that the XBOne issues should include an update which allows for either the snap size to be adjusted or to have the TV window larger, whether we select the size or there are 3 or 4 sizes to choose from. the current size is great for screens larger than 65 inches but anything under 50, the TV snap is too small and the feature will be under utilized on smaller displays.
   I see the future of this console being very bright irregardless of the number of units sold and all the comparisons to the PS4. Very similar to when the XB360 was released, Microsoft recognized how users used it and built their software, services and user interface around what everyone wanted. I see it being no different with the XBOne. Starting with a half baked user interface, app store and service offering is a smart way to find out how users are adapting and what they want to see/do before wasting valuable time on developing software that users might hate or never utilize. This is my opinion of course and weather it was by design or they just wanted to get the XBOne on the streets as soon as possible  we will never know unless Microsoft says which is very unlikely.
     

My journey with Xbox

Let me get this out of the way first, I was always a fan of Xbox, mostly because of the multimedia capabilities. Xbox was always geared towards the living room and integrating the entire family as opposed to gaming and everything else is secondary. That being said, when I got the Xbox 360 (XB360) it was from the spoils of waiting in line to buy a PS3, selling it and then using my profits to buy an XB360 along with the HD-DVD drive that was available at the time.

This was a year after the XB360 was originally released and as a result the platform had matured in regards to content and software. So, today faced with the opportunity to own an Xbox One (XBOne) at launch was a very exciting prospect for me. I was never a huge gamer but like most other teenagers or young adults I spent quality time playing several games on consoles and PC. As I have grown older, so have my tastes and attention to details become pronounced. After the new consoles launch dates and capabilities were announced I had decided to wait a few months at minimum before even considering purchasing one, if I ever did.

I started to hear more details and performed my own research about the capabilities of the XBOne. The Kinect was an obvious first plus for me as I had actually figured out in the past that someone was going to ditch the physical controller soon after Nintendo came out with the Wii and I was not surprised when Microsoft announced the Kinect for XB360. One of my mottos is that I rarely buy any technology that is first generation, so technically, I am living up to my motto by getting the XBOne with Kinect 2.0.

          The second plus, which is what I think made me finally say that I had to have one at launch was the HDMI pass through technology that’s included. I was very surprised by this feature and the more I thought about it, the more I loved it. Being able to not only watch TV through XBOne but have picture in picture, able to fully control your entire Home theater/gaming setup via the XBOne built in IR blaster and let’s not forget the ability to actually control everything without a controller via Kinect.
           My experiences so far has prompted me to honor the XBOne with my first post of 2014. Happy New Year to everyone by the way. I will be posting several articles, follow ups and how to’s in the near future. I will say this, from my experiences, the XBOne will be a welcome addition to any family and not just the gamer at home.