Stuff, just stuff!

A blog of some general (usually technology related) 'stuff'.

[johnthetecnician]

Goodbye Google VPN.

Google is killing off its VPN service. Will many people miss it? Probably not.

[johnthetecnician]

Jaws of Death.

[johnthetecnician]

It was only 5 days ago since I gave this chilli plant a good clear out of all its ripe fruits, yet its almost ready for another harvest.

[johnthetecnician]

Book - A Man For All Markets

Book – A Man For All Markets

A Man For All Markets, by Edward O Thorp. A Man For All Markets A few thoughts on this book – a book definitely of the proverbial two halves.

The first half is very autobiographical. We learn of Edward’s childhood and his developing ability in mathematics. This leads on to trying to figure out the odds in winning in games like blackjack and baccarat, and how card counting techniques can help to…

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[johnthetecnician]

Compound Computation and possible student early retirement

Compound Computation and possible student early retirement

About the use of compound interest, the eighth wonder of the world. Talk to a typical young uni student about pensions and ‘old people’ and immediately eyes will glaze over and brain disengages itself from any idea of intelligent thought, switching across to ‘I’m in a lecture so can catch up on lost sleep’ mode. (To most students, ‘old’ means staggering around on a zimmer frame and probably…

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[johnthetecnician]

Microsoft Band 2 update.

Microsoft Band 2 update.

Some updates on my Microsoft Band 2 smart band.   It’s about 6 weeks since I got my Microsoft Band 2, so I thought it was time for some more comments. Two things first; I am not a fitness person so its main use for general long term background measurements; and I also no longer have it! As mentioned in an earlier posting, perhaps the best thing of owning something like this was the inherent…

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[johnthetecnician]

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Review

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Review

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 First Impressions / Review. My Surface Pro 4 I have just got hold of a Microsoft Surface Pro 4 so thought I’d give some first impressions. There are very much ‘first’ as in it was just a couple of days ago I got it from my local John Lewis store. (I had not intended to get the Pro 4 but wait till the 5, however recent press comments indicated that the 5 may not come out…

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[johnthetecnician]

Microsoft Band 2

Microsoft Band 2 first thoughts. Microsoft Band 2 How about some first impressions of my Microsoft Band 2 that I got a week ago. (This is NOT a blow by blow review of all its functions etcetera, just some first thoughts on how I found using it.) Let’s get something sorted out first – I’m not a fitness fanatic, I do not do ‘let’s go to the gym’ type stuff (I think the last time I went to do any…

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[johnthetecnician]

what's best for a web search

what’s best for a web search

To search; Bing or Google? What for searching For performing a web search Google has become the dominant engine for much of the world to the extent that many now use the term as a verb (and giving the grammar police much to argue about; as a proper noun it is Google, but when used as a verb should it be “to Google” or “to google”). However Microsoft has its Bing engine which has grown in…

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[johnthetecnician]

HDTV upgrade

It’s new HDTV time! It must have been about 8 years ago when I replaced my old style CRT type television with an LED model. It was a 26 inch size screen and represented a nice move up from my old 23 inch machine, and though it was a base model it had all the functionality I needed. Its main use was as a display device for my DVD player, occasionally plugged into my PC for internet related stuff,…

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[johnthetecnician]

It's new academic year time

It’s new academic year time

Time again to get back to some academic studying (maybe). Also time for students to remember all those promises they made to themselves towards the end of last year about starting reports and projects shortly after been given them, NOT shortly before hand-in time! If we accept that your typical student will, for the first two thirds of their course, spend 40% of that time pissed out of their…

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[johnthetecnician]

remote desktop

Remote Desktop computer access.

Over time I’ve tried one or two different remote desktop applications but none have impressed me enough to make me want to continue using them. However the idea of accessing my home desktop machine from anywhere has become quite appealing so I thought I’d have another go.

A look around a few reviews showed that TeamViewer was highly rated so I downloaded it,…

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[johnthetecnician]

Panasonic TZ60 thoughts

Recently I wanted to get a nice pocket size camera.

Something a bit better than what’s on your typical smartphone but something that’s still pocket-size. Some time ago I had a Panasonic TZ10 and really liked it, so looked up to see what was the latest model in the range and found the TZ60. A look on the internet showed it had some good reviews, and though the cost was slightly more than I wanted…

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[johnthetecnician]

HDTV update and excitement.

HDTV update and excitement.

It’s new HDTV time!

It must have been about 8 years ago when I replaced my old style CRT type television with an LED model. This new 26 inch size screen was a nice move up from my old 23 inch television, and though it was a base model it had all the functionality I needed. Its main use was as a display device for my DVD player, occasionally plugged into my PC for internet related stuff, and very…

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[johnthetecnician]

Windows Technical Preview

I’m having a play with the new Windows Technical Preview / Windows 10 and find myself pleasantly impressed.

I’ve installed it onto two machines, both machines around 8 years old. One a Pentium D based device, the other with an AMD Athlon processor, both of these computers originally came with XP. So we’re not talking about modern hi-tech stuff but rather antiquated hardware somewhat on the wrong…

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[johnthetecnician]

4k video

I must confess I would quite like a 4k video camera.

It’s not that I have any intention in producing any 4k videos for upload to the internet, but for two other specific reasons. Recording in 4k but downscaling to 1080 can give an improved picture by reducing the amount of noise, this is especially true for dark or low light recording. The other reason is the flexibility of being able to pan…

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[johnthetecnician]

Too much Cloud

Here a cloud, there a cloud, everywhere a cloud!

I guess my first experience of The Cloud (as we currently accept it) was with Dropbox and Evernote. Dropbox worked well for my files and Evernote for memos and the smaller documents. Pictures went up to Flickr, videos to YouTube. For chat, then text messaging when on the move or Skype when at my desk. Everything had its place.

However as time went…

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