The "Post-PC Era"

Is it really a reality?

With much buzz about the upcoming version of Windows it remains to be seen if anyone cares. I would like Microsoft to fail in this endeavour, not becuase I don't like the Microsoft product and I am a "fan" of an alternate, it is more a question of seeing the arrogance of the MS fanbouys getting their just deserts.

A typical response to Windows 8 Consumer Preview.

..... and then there is the Smartphone.......

Office solutions for Android tablets

This is also applicable to the iPad.

Looking for an Office Suite for Android.

Links:

• All pages related to tablets on The Technology Muse
• office solutions site:blogspot.com - Manila 

Waiting for Jelly Bean

Having just acquired a tablet that has Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0.3) I must admit that there a some improvements over Honeycomb but not enough for me to want to keep the tablet, an Asus Prime.

I see that there is now real-time spell-check on some built-in apps and not in others that really need it. Also the consistency of the spell-check is puzzling. For example here in Blogger the spell-check is active on the post title but not here in the post body????

Most importantly there is no spell-check in Polaris Office. If the Android developers what an Office suit to compete with MS Office (which is currently touted to be coming to the iPad) it needs spell-check. I don't understand as the capability is definitely there as it works in all parts of the GMail app. You can even edit your custom dictionary (with the option to add words on the fly and delete them later should you make a mistake). Although there is a "check spelling" button in the Google Blogger compose screen it doesn't seem to do anything. (Okay - I just worked out that spell-check works in HTML edit mode???? - again consistency,  and most users would stay well away from HTML in any case)

I am not sure I will be keeping the Prime as while it is a very good tablet for today I an't help feeling that the next version of Android will pick up some of these points.

The Splashtop Remote Desktop (under the Asus My Cloud app) seems to work well and I can access all my Windows 7 computers and run x86 programs from the Prime (even printing from Word and Excel etc) - all without installing anything on the Prime. The Splashtop Remote software needs to be downloaded and installed on the Windows 7 machine that you want to access remotely, but then you can also use your Touch or iPad to control your PC as well - there is probably an Android app for this as well but I haven't looked)

I am not really interested in the availability of apps, in comparison to the Apple product - I am more interested  in the basic functionality of the tablet. It is getting there but I am not it is there yet.

• Google Android 'Jelly Bean' 5.0 devices due in the autumn - expertreviews 16 May 2012 

Rooting your Smartphone

Rooting and un-locking your PCs BIOS seem to have parallels. The mindset that tells the nerd that he or she is not getting "all that they paid for" and have a device that does not have its full functionality.

As many have said - just because you can, it doesn't mean that you should.

I have been monitoring a number of sources that talk of "rooting" Android powered devices such as the Asus Transformer Prime and the unlocking of computers with Insyde H2O UEFI BIOS. The owners of such devices hope to get access to hidden features and/or menus that will allow overclocking and access to other operating system - basic hardware adjustments.

In many of these cases there is nothing to be gained by the exercise and the fact that the manufacturers have purposely locked the bootloader on the devices in question. This is generally done to minimize the damage that the un-skilled users can wreak. 

The Apple Airport Express

A minimal configuration for the Apple Airport Express

The Airport Express has proven to be of use in hotels around the world where Internet access is provided to rooms and WiFi service is restrictive (multiple accounts needed for notebook, iPad and Touch)

In addition A/P.E. has been found useful at client sites where wired access to LAN is provided - allowing the use of wireless devices on a non-wireless infrastructure.

The aim here is to configure the AirPort so that it was a close to "out of the box" as possible.

Wireless security was not necessary (but possible) for this instance. The AirPort (basestation) name was (had to be) changed to "New Airport" and was given the Capital Radio password.

Attempts were made to configure the device wirelessly but I had to resort to connecting the AP to my notebook via the Ethernet cable.

            Firmware was updated to version 7.5.2......

Links:

• Apple slips out new AirPort Express with simultaneous dual-band WiFi By Jon Fingas Engadget Jun 11th 2012 - Here John Fingas obviously doesn't know what a "dual band" router is or what it offers over a single band one!