The Projectator

Tips, Projects, Review and a day to day post.

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Am I the only one ? - Apple maps

Good evening,

The last few weeks have been intense in the world of technology. A lot of complaints came up with the new release of the Iphone 5 and iOS 6. The new Iphone is, for some, not surprising at all. The new features are not as good as they expected, the design is not to their touch,etc. But hell, This is a new product! Yes it has its flaws, but compare it to the previous generation and it actually looks descent.

People tend to expect more and more from companies around the world, especially in the consumer electronics categories. It feels like nothing is enough.

I will, as everyone else, talk about Apple new native app: Maps. When I got the iOS 6 developer preview this summer, I was thrilled to see this new app. At first, the features were not implanted, but they came in slowly, one after the other, with their own bugs. It is now out to the public and it is receiving the worst critics ever.

The new map app is actually impressive, if you take time to think about it. The new ability to use turn-by-turn directions, which was not available before. The new 3D and fly-over features. The new vector based maps are also an impressive improvement from the previous Maps version. 

Yes, it is true that the turn-by-turn directions are sometimes faulty, it is also true that the 3D is not available everywhere and that it is also flawed in some locations. But this is irrelevant, direction, whether turn-by-turn or not, have always been flawed in some ways, even with the best GPS out there and 3D maps are new and no company actually has a full coverage of the world neither do they have the best solution for their 3D models.

I am not saying that Apple made the best GPS app, I am just saying that they built  a product that brings new features and works in most situation. They are in the same boat as every other company, no one has the golden solution yet.

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How to connect to Xbox Live from an Hotel Room

Most of the hotels now have an in-browser registration system for the Internet connection they offer. This will vary from a free activation registration to a purchase activation system for the rooms where the Internet was not included in the contract. A problem arise when a user wants to connect his/her Xbox to the Live network as there is no such thing as an Internet browser on the Xbox. That's when I come in.

Step One:

You need to first sign in with your computer, ipod, ipad, etc. These will be able to reach the registration page through a web browser. Go through the registration process and go on a website to test it out. Once that is done you are ready to proceed to the next step.

Step Two:

You will now need to recover the MAC address of the device you have been using.

On PC:

Go to Start, then use the search to search for "cmd"

Open the CMD and type "ipconfig /all"

Now under Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection, find the Physical address (XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX). Make note of it as you will need it in the next steps.

On iOS:

Go to Settings -> General -> About

You will find the MAC address under Wi-Fi Address  (XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX) . Make note of it as you will need it in the next steps.

Step Three:

Fire up your Xbox, and plug your Internet cable in (or just boot it if you want to access the Wi-Fi), but do not load any games or anything. Use the Guide button to go to Settings -> Network Settings.

Choose whether you want to connect using the Wired or Wireless connection, then go to the network configuration. In the Advanced part you will find "Alternate MAC Address". Select it and type in the MAC address you recovered earlier (without the "-"). Click Done, and that is it! you should now be able to connect to the Xbox Live Network.

 That's it!

Cheers,

Picture from ddgameworld.com

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Recycle your Old File Drawer into a Bed Table

We just received a desk accompanied by two great shelves. The desk came with some spare drawers as we brought it back from an closing factory.

The idea was to place the desk somewhere it would fit, but then where would we put the spare drawers that came with it?Well, it is pretty simple: all you need is a file drawer (those desk drawers that hold files and documents vertically).

Here's a little example of the steps and some tips you could use.

First of all, place the drawer on a surface that will prevent it from scratching your beautiful hardwood floor like mine (e.g. a small carpet). And go get yourself some screwdrivers from the basement, or even a drill if you have one. 

Then put it on its side so you can work on the railings.

Once this is done start unscrewing the railings with either your screwdriver or a drill equipped with the corresponding bit. The railings should not be torqued to much so unscrewing them with a screw driver should be manageable. Once the first railing is off, flip the drawer 180 degrees and get rid of the other railing.

Depending on the color and the material of the drawer you might see the hole of the screw a little too much like so.

A little tip would be to either put the screws back it, if their color matched the one of the wood or use a sanding paper and some wood sealant to fill up the holes and hide them. 

For my part, because the finish of the wood was all black and my screw matched it, I just decided to put the screws back in. It hides the holes pretty well and the result is impressive.

Once your done with all this, the only thing left is to add some books to it and of course place it next to your bed. 

There goes your 15 minutes. A nice and well fitted bed table. Don't you think?

Until next time,

Greg

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Montréal Life

I just went to Montreal to visit my sister yesterday, and here I am now with parking ticket, only 12 hours after my arrival. For all of you who are trying to find a parking spot in Montreal, well good luck. The signs are not clear, as they are pointing some directions and you can't even be sure of their meaning. Have fun during your holidays people! Until next time, Greg

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Here is a little preview of the bundle. By Greg Hamel

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Bose MIE2i Review - The "Won't fall-off" System

Bose has always been my reference in therms of good sound performance. My father always loved their products and so do I. Bose is a company that cares about their products and really it really shows. I own a Companion 3 set and I love it in every single aspect.

  But now it's time to evolve to a more mobile/travel-able package : The Bose MIE2i in-ear headset. 

It came in a nice, but still simple, box from which you could already feel the quality. I opened this, usual/over packaged, box only to discover one of my best "sound system" ever.

This headset is simple but weird looking. A first glance at them and you start thinking "How am I supposed to fit them into my ears?", but then second thought comes up as "Holy S*** it actually does fit pretty well in there." They come with these interchangeable StayHear silicon tip which really fit well in your ears and make the difference when compared to other in-ear headset. Their wing part is designed to fit your outer ear by going under some of the auricle "Flaps". The silicon is really soft and malleable which make them really comfortable for prolonged uses. 

Lets get to the sound that comes out of them. First of all, when you compare these with the original iPhone headset, well you realize that you have been missing a lot... every single aspect of the sound is improved, and the bass is crisp like nothing else. Some might say the bass is a little to much, but for me it feels like i'm listening to a real concert as I can feel the rhythm of the bass drum and the electric bass. Each frequency feels crisp, though it might need a little adjustment on the highs. The Meds and Lows are great. 

The build is very good, I like the clip as it allows me to snap my headset to my jacket or T-shirt, which protect them from hitting the ground when I remove them. Instead they which just start hanging near my neck thanks to that clip. Also, the crooked jack makes the iPhone feel a little better in my pocket, because I will not feel the headset jack pocking into my thigh. For the remote (The little piece of plastic containing the buttons and mic) it feels great, the buttons are, I believe, more responsive than the one on the original iPhone headset. I did not try the mic yet, but i'm looking forward into trying this one out pretty soon.

In conclusion, I'm extremely proud of owning a great headset like this one. They feel great and they indeed will not fall out of your ears. Build quality is great, and the sound is astonishing. I would recommend them to any serious buyers, but not to audiophiles as the bass might just get a little too far for some. For me, a rating of 4.5/5 for this headset, good job Bose, as usual.

Until next time, 

Greg

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Projects are my life.

Since I was a kid, I've always tried to do things on my own. From K'nex to RoboTics, i've done them all. Now it's time for me to help others like me into doing their things. I have a light background in a lot of concepts like mechanics, electrics, Robotics and i'm also learning more everyday.

All my post on this blog will be related to the work I do on my little projects, back home or at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) where I'm currently studying Aerospace Engineering.

I'm that kind of guy who like pretty much every single thing he can find, and I want to share this with you. By helping this whole community out there : THE Internet. I'll be posting reviews on this I buy, Tutorial on this I did/learned by myself. 

Lets start with my birthday gift: My Bose MIE2i in-ear mobile headset.