Well, I am still here.

I know it has been a while since my last post, but don't worry, I am still alive.  I have not really had a whole lot to write about.  Today is not much different.  I would like to say that if anyone has any tech questions to shoot me an email at  wsmiley4@gmail.com  As always thanks for stopping by.

Android Apps (My Favorite)

First, I don't have an I-device so sorry for not having apple programs.  Lets get this started off with games.  My favorite set of games is made by Rovio, and that is Angry Birds.  Rovia has produced this game over nearly every platform that a game can be played on.  (by the way it cost zilch to get this game)  Second favorite game is Hex Defense, it is a defensive game (duh(and it is free)).

Next set of apps is really important to me and that is Music.  Google has taken a lot of interest in this market.  So, my favorite is Music by Google.  It includes cloud storage and web access (free).  Second favorite would be Pandora.  Again multi-platform support and web access (and again Nil on price).

Misc. Apps

One of the coolest and most helpful apps that I have found is Google Maps.  You can get street veiws and get turn by turn directions with the Navigation feature.  One of the newest add-ons is the ability to save maps for off-network navigation (nada here too).  If you want to make sure to have the Good Book with you, then I would suggest everyone to get the app "Bible" by LifeChurch.tv For those of you who live in the OKC area, it is developed and supported by LifeChurch. This program provides a surprising level of support including multiple versions of the Bible and narration of the more common translations. I hope this helps our android users.

News News Everywhere

Tonight I have decided to talk about news in general.  There are a lot of different sites to go to and just as many ways to get the news you want to read.  Personally, I spend about an hour a day reading about technology and what is coming out next.  At work I am known as the "Tech Guru."  The only way for me to have the info needed though, is to get all of my info as quickly and as eficiently as possible.  And dont forget, your source is just as important.  

So first is my method of getting news.  You can go straight to the source but that can take some time if you are looking through 10 or more sources.  I have found a multiplatform program called" Pulse" and it allows you to add 13 sources on each page with multiple pages.    

Second most important thing is to find solid sources.  There a lot of sites that re-publish other sites articles which means you really dont get any new news, but just regergitated news from the site you should be reading.  So dont be afraid to change your source if you find that they are not being original.

Sears. Definitly not like wine (only getting worse).

Last week I was informed that sears had an I*ad 2 for $68.  well my first thought was this isn't a real ad.  Someone must be running a scam.  I checked a few of the sites links and it seemed legit.  So, I ordered one for the wife since I my self had no use for this piece of tech.  I also want to throw in the  fact that I did get am order conformation and a shipment date.
The next day  I wake up to an email from Sears saying to they had cancelled the order, since their third party partner "GSM" had priced the product wrong and that they were not going to be shipping my order.  Needless to say, I was not surprised but I was not willing to leave it at that.
My first response was to call and ask that they hold to the order as it was since they made the error not me.  The response from that was a blanket apology and that if I still wanted an I*ad they would be more than glad to help me order another one at regular price ($499).  I then started to email every account that i could find at Sears which is only two.  I have not heard back from one of them and the other was word for word to what the customer service told me.
Does any of this surprise me.....NO.  This is not the first time that I have had issues with Sears (long story).  But this will be the last.
I hope this helps everyone (except Sears)

Friday's are going to be "Weekend Tips."

My Friday posts are going to be about tips to better your life, whether you want it or not.  Today will be about how to protect your phone, tablet or anything where you physically touch the display.

It does not matter if you have an Ipad, Droid X or a cheap mp3 player that cost $50.  The additional  cost of a screen protector is worth the cost.  It costs as little as $5 and drastically helps protect the investment that you have made to be in the 21st century.

Now putting these little things on can present a little bit of a challenge since a little speck of lint will cause a bubble and if it isn't perfectly lined up then it will hang off of the glass and will eventually get caught and tear off.  So, clean the screen well, then take a piece of masking tape and dab the screen to remove any lint (don't press too hard or the adhesive will transfer.)  Now find a good spot to start and make sure not to put any fingerprints on it.  I have found that a credit card helps to make sure that the screen goes down smoothly.

At this point, if you followed the instructions and have a bit of luck going for you, then you should have a well protected screen, with no bubbles and you should not be able to even tell that it is there.  If this is not the case Best Buy offers to install various screen protectors for little money and they are very well practiced (again not trying to push Best Buy, only explaining other options.)

Thanks for stopping by.

Everything I need to know I learned from Google.

Have you ever asked yourself "Who hit the game winning hit in the 1997 World Series?"  Google might not have all the answers but I was able to ask and Google told me that Marquis Griffin hit that ball.  While some questions might seem obscure, it never hurts to ask.  Google allows you to just search for photos, videos, news, shopping, maps or the whole web (default for most.)


What all does google do?  Well they do everything from cloud services to full office suites.  They have the Android Operating system, Gmail, and now Social Networking (Google +).  For goodness sakes they are even producing a new computer system called Google Chrome (yes same as the web browser).  Let's be real, Google is in everything to do with the Internet or computer use.

Some say that this is a bad thing, others say that it makes it more convenient.  I am a Google user.I like the fact that I sign in once and then I am done.  Make up your own minds and don't think that there are no other options out there.  Thanks for stopping by and as always, if you have a question, ask.

PS. i was going to try to post the apps and services but it will just be easier to do this.  http://www.google.com/intl/en/about/products/

Tablets seem to be the biggest rage.

Ever since Moses found the ten commandments, tablets have been all the rage.  Well now it is more diverse than the side effects of modern medicine. If you are concidering a tablet the first thing you will need to consider is how much money do you REALY want to spend.  Tablets can range from $200 (various inexpensive low feature tablets) all the way up to $829 (i*ad 2, 3g, 64 gb).  Once that is figured out then you need to go over Operating System. This catagory has big names behind it like Google, Apple, Blackberry, HP and last but not least Microsoft.  If you have not made a trip to Best Buy, then now is the time. They actually have quite a few different options. By no means am I trying to promote Best Buy. 

This tablet craze is lead by the Cupertino group of Apple. There is no denying that the I*ad is a very good device. But if you are looking for a little more control with out the need for I*unes, then Google,might be the route for you with the Android OS (aka Honeycomb).  If you are already hooked into Blackberry them maybe the Play Book is the way for you.  For the WebOS (formerly known as PalmOS) fans there is the Touch Pad.  And again last but not least Windows 7 tablets. 

The options are plenty, but a trip to The Best Buy can help you through the process.  I tend to lean towards the Android tablet and since we are on the subject, I will be writing most of this Blog on an Acer Iconia Android Tablet.  Day two in the bag..Thanks for stopping by.

Lets get this party started.

Welcome to my new tech news site.  I will be reviewing new products and applications.  If anyone has questtions or needs help please feel free to ask.  I am always glad to help.

Thank you for stoping by.