Lowest cost Android tablet on the market

Posted on March 27, 2011 by Mark Urbin

Currently I would have to say that title belongs to the Nook.  Ya, ya…Barnes & Noble tells you it that it just an ebook reader, but it’s running a crippled version of Android that you can root pretty easily.

It’s pretty straightforward, and you can find just about everything you need at nookDevs. Once you are done, you can load multiple ebook readers, including B&N’s android app!

Downside, no camera and no Bluetooth.

Upside, no monthly service fees!

Disclaimer: In case this wasn’t obviously clear, rooting your Nook is not warranty friendly.

Filed under: Android, Gadget, Google, Open Source, Operating Systems, tablet | Tagged: , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Local backup of GMail

Posted on March 1, 2011 by Mark Urbin

Wired has the details.  I’m already using the Thunderbird method.

I’ll probably use the GetMail method on the linux box as well.

Filed under: Geek Skills, Google, Internet | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a comment »

Mucking with Android

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Mark Urbin

I’ve started to muck with Android. Details to follow.

Filed under: Android, Gadget, Google, Operating Systems | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

Top 10 Reasons why the BMI is Bogus

Posted on January 23, 2011 by Mark Urbin

Interesting article from NPR that describes the problems with the Body Mass Index rating.

Most of the reason are pretty straightforward, and obvious to anybody who actually exerts some brain power to study the very simplistic formula.

1. The person who dreamed up the BMI said explicitly that it could not and should not be used to indicate the level of fatness in an individual.

2. It is scientifically nonsensical.

3. It is physiologically wrong.

4. It gets the logic wrong.

5. It’s bad statistics.

6. It is lying by scientific authority.

7. It suggests there are distinct categories of underweight, ideal, overweight and obese, with sharp boundaries that hinge on a decimal place.

8. It makes the more cynical members of society suspect that the medical insurance industry lobbies for the continued use of the BMI to keep their profits high.

9. Continued reliance on the BMI means doctors don’t feel the need to use one of the more scientifically sound methods that are available to measure obesity levels.

10. It embarrasses the U.S.

To put it politely, the BMI is junk science.  The sad part is that your health insurance provider, and your doctor, probably use it.

Filed under: Medical Tech | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

The latest iPad2 rumors

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Mark Urbin

Get your hot iPad2 rumors here.

Some of the highlights:

  • Thinner
  • Slightly smaller
  • better speakers
  • Camera

Filed under: Apple, iPad, tablet, tech rumors | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

The USMC’s new 6 shot 40mm Grenade Launcher

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Mark Urbin

Meet the M-32.  Six rounds, shoulder fired, reported to achieve head shots at 150 meters.

Sweet!

All six rounds can be put on target in under 3 seconds, for when you needs things blowing up a lot, really fast.

Rumored supported rounds include:

  • HELLHOUND rounds with twice the lethal radius of the M433, which will breach doors and kill anything behind them;
  • HUNTIR rounds with cameras in them, that descend on a parachute and send back video.

Filed under: Miltech | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

50 Free Apps

Posted on November 28, 2010 by Mark Urbin

Life Hacker listed their favorite 50 free apps.

Not a bad list, but I have to disagree with #29.  I don’t use iTunes because I want to. It’s just the safest way to move data on and off my iPhone, including managing podcasts.  The app itself is kludgey and locks up at the drop of a hat, any hat, anywhere.

There are some apps on the list I use and am quite happy with though.

Chrome, Google Apps, Thunderbird, GIMP, VLC, CCleaner, Skype, 7zip, Pandora, and PuTTy.

Overall a good list, worth checking out.

Filed under: Internet, IT | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

Thin Displays as Wristbands

Posted on October 24, 2010 by Mark Urbin

The US Army is evaluating forearm mounted full color flexible displays.  Besides the direct military use, I see this as an efficient use of tax dollars since this research will result in a faster availability in the private market as well.

Filed under: Miltech | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

Cool tech from history

Posted on July 25, 2010 by Mark Urbin

The Third Reich had plans for a Rocket Plane that would be able to drop nuclear bombs on American soil.

Multiple V-2 rockets would have launched the “Silver Bird” on a two mile long track, getting high up in the atmosphere before it’s internal rocket engines would have pushed it to Mach 30.  It was to skip off the upper atmosphere, using an early lifting body design, dropping down to drop a payload of four nuclear bombs, and then continuing to land in the Japanese held Pacific Ocean.

That was the theory anyway.  Pesky things, like opening up a second front with the Russians, kept this design from getting off the drawing board.

Filed under: Miltech, Space | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Just a bad phone UI design

Posted on June 30, 2010 by Mark Urbin

I had to pick up another mobile phone number, so I went looking for a basic phone to get to put it on. I called my cell provider, AT&T, and was pointed to the LG CF360. The physical design is good. It feels solid, the sliding is smooth and locks/unlocks easily. It’s got Bluetooth support and has a micro-SD slot.

The UI is an utter piece of crap, and that is an insult to crap, which can be put to good use as fertilizer.

It’s a fornicating phone, being able to access my call log would actually be useful, so what ever brain dead software “coder” working in what ever sweatshop he/she/it deserves to stay in decided to leave that functionality out.

If I ever get my Razr back from one of my kids, I’m moving the SIM card over to the Razr.

Filed under: cell phone tech | Tagged: , | 4 Comments »

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