Category Archives: Technology

Ingress

Really, it's everywhere.

Can you believe this did not score an invite?

It is six thirty when I wake up. There’s a silicone mask attached to my face which is in turn, attached to a machine that helps me sleep at night. I blink a few times and do a short assessment.

I feel like I slept, which is remarkable, even with the CPAP.

I stretch a bit, cracking my neck and turning off the machine. I get up and remove the silicone mask and walk over to the bathroom. I start hot water in the sink and then wash the mask out with some hot water and baby shampoo. I shake the bottle and it’s almost empty.

I think amazon is already sending me another two bottles, so I don’t worry about it. It’s amazing how much of this stuff I go through in a month. I place the mask on the side of the sink to dry, then return to the bedroom to grab the humidifier chamber. I toss out the water in the bathroom sink and place the chamber on its side to dry.

I get dressed, and check the weather. Not too cold, but foggy.

I think I’m ready, so I activate my scanner. ADA’s voice, slightly clipped and yet familiar comes through loud and clear.

“Acquiring position.”

“Lock on established.”

“Downloading latest intel package.”

“Welcome back. It’s been 10 hours since your last login.”

“I was getting worried about you.”

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Guild Wars 2

I am really enjoying Guild Wars 2.

It’s a streamlined experience, and many MMO veterans will appreciate a lot of the shortcuts that ArenaNet have integrated into the Guild Wars experience.

And there’s no monthly fee, so that is a big plus.

Media Center

I resurrected my media center.

It’s an older single core workstation that was fine seven years ago, but now it’s a little pokey for modern games.

So I’ve turned it into a media center with Windows 7 Home Premium. It’s not bad, although of late I’ve repurposed it into a casual slash indie games station. Aquaria, Bejeweled, Peggle, and any number of less graphically intensive games.

It’s nice, although now I’m thinking about just rebuilding a new rig and using the television as a display for PC games. This leads to all sorts of interesting configurations for mouse and keyboard games as well as being able to lounge on the couch and do some surfing.

On the other hand, why did I build that standing desk?

Nexus 7 – Ten Days Later

I am a big fan of the Nexus 7 so far. The only other thing I would want from it is cellular as an option. But it’s not something I need. If I need immediate access, that’s what my cell phone is for.

If I’m in a Starbucks or Whole Foods, sitting down for a while, then I can take it out and join the wifi.

On first heft, it’s definitely a bit lighter than the Kindle Fire, and it feels thinner, although that may be the beveled edge. I like the fact that the bezel is symmetrical both horizontally and vertically.

On the Kindle this is not the case, and although that is okay, on some level the asymmetry bothered me whenever it was in landscape mode. I would be watching something on Netflix and thinking the letterbox was off kilter. It is a tiny thing considering I am watching Bob’s Burgers in my kitchen as I am preparing dinner. Continue reading

Disconnect

I’m in the allergist’s office when I realize I’ve left my phone on my desk, charging. “No problem,” I think as I pull out the tablet. Their waiting room has WiFi, so I will simply connect and get back to Twitter and gmail and path.

Then I notice that their connection is not letting me on.

I contemplate asking the receptionist about the WiFi, maybe a router just needs to be rebooted, a cable unplugged and plugged back in again.

but then I realize that sounds desperate, “You know, your internet doesn’t seem to be working, I can, you know, take a look at it.”

And then the full realization hits me.

I have just taken allergy shots, and I cannot leave here for thirty minutes. 

I will be without this link, this network, for a full thirty minutes.

And that thought is mildly terrifying.