Archive for category: Neat Tech & News

In what might be the most predicted announcement of the year, Facebook now integrates with Skype. You can click on the link below for more details and or just get started right now. What I want to think about is what this means in terms of the Facebook vs. Google battle. Skype is now owned Microsoft. Facebook surely could have bought a lesser-known video chat company and launched its own service. Why partner with Microsoft? Perhaps “The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend” is doing its little magic here? Perhaps a tight relationship between Facebook and Microsoft is what both companies see as necessary to take on the juggernaut which is Google. It will be interesting to see how the Google+ “hangout” video chat compares to the Facebook Skype integration. I haven’t checked recently, but I don’t think Skype handles multi-person video chat very well so that might be a place where Google+ will win out. Stay tuned for more fun.

I’ve got a few Joomla sites and after several years, I’ve decided to move them all to WordPress. One of the reasons is that WordPress updates have become so drop-dead simple. The latest 3.2 went about as fast and easy as any, which on one hand doesn’t say a lot (because they are all so fast and easy) but then again, speaks volumes. Get your update now.

https://videopress.com/v/ac07H291

The Clash of the Titans: Google is finally going after the social network space with “Google+”. It’s about time. Facebook has been quickly emerging as a serious threat to Google with its eventual takeover of the web. As an avid Google ecosystem subscriber myself, I will be looking into this with great interest. You should too.

If you’re like me, the original 2.3 Gingerbread update for the EVO 4G was OK except that it was a disaster for Netflix lovers (like me). Today I found out that there’s a patch for the update which is getting rolled out. You can try forcing the update like I did. I’m happy to report that Netflix works like a charm. The update took a while to update and at one point it seems like my Sprint EVO 4G was stuck with a giant 4G on the screen. But just be patient and let it work itself out. I also had to turn my wifi off and back on again after the update but not sure if that was just me. I didn’t realize how much of a killer app Netflix was for me until it stopped working.

HTC Evo Maintenance Release – 4.24.651.1 Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)

 

Enhancements/Fixes:

– SMS are intermittently sent to wrong and seemingly random contact

– “Me” instead of “Yo” in SMS thread conversations when set to Spanish

– Unable to stream media thru some applications after updating to 3.70

– Email attachments are not displayed in the mail client

– Multiple Gmail accounts no longer sync after FroYo update

– Fix for battery discharge issue

– Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)

– Downloads management- The Downloads application gives the user easy access

   to any file downloaded from the browser, email,or another application

– Corrects voicemail notification issue (from 4.22.651.2)

– Corrects issue with hearing aid compatibility menu disappearing (from 4.22.651.2)

– Netflix compatibility (from 4.22.651.2)

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Important Notes:

– The new software version is: 4.24.651.1

– This update should be applied to devices on 4.22.651.2 (Android 2.3 update) and 3.70.651.1 (Froyo)

  Devices on 4.22.651.2 will receive the following message when this update is available  “A system upgrade for 2.3 (Gingerbread)

  is available that provides minor software enhancements.  Please download and install the following update. System Upgrade 4.24.651.1 (25 MB)”

– Refer to the HTC EVO Maintenance Release blog for install instructions.  When manually trying to initiate the update, you may receive a message

  that no update is available.  Please be patient and check back later, or you may wait until the update is automatically sent to your device.

 

Update (6/22)

– Voice to text (voice search) and compass problems have been reported and are being investigated by Sprint and HTC.  Additional information will

  be posted when available.

– Voice to text alternative per community member darnatl:

At  a Sprint repair store, the tech  suggested I try Vlingo Virtual   Assistant app.  I did and although more  cumbersome to use, it does  work  with or without background noise.  It  works in situations where  Voice  Search use to work but no longer does.

 

The initial reviews have high marks for the hardwware, but the “software” is a little lacking in that unless 100% of what you do is on the web, you might find these Chromebooks slightly deficient at first. That being said, if you’re “all in” to the Google universe this might be for you. I’m one of those people. But I’m going to hold off primarily because I’ve come to realize that I need a tablet instead of a Chromebook. We’ll see if others feel the same way.