Technology Matters
Archive for July, 2010
Expanding your Pogoplug
Jul 31st
So you have a Pogoplug and you want some more functionality but you do not want to ‘brick’ it or loose the file sharing across the internet part? Well PlugApps is the answer for you on this one and for the people who thought this article was me ripping my pogoplug apart and adding hardware to it – sorry, not just yet people 
PogoPlug – Ongoing thoughts
Jul 31st
After messing with this device for a week now, I felt it was only right that I add my thoughts on how it has been going. I wanted to show the good, the bad and the downright ugly sides of this device. What you can also see is that so far I have not returned this to the store, it is either because I am lazy or I feel it *might* turn out good in the end – let us see.
PogoPlug – A Tech Review
Jul 27th
After seeing various reviews littered about the web and watching video’s of people using and unboxing a pogoplug, there was not enough detailed write up about how it works on a day to day unit rather than just something to shares your files across the internet. I had spotted this device in a local store for £79, the retail price was £99, so a saving of £20 to be had. Was this a cheap NAS box that could suit my needs or would it turn out to be something slow and unusable.
Alien Swarm – Free Game on Steam
Jul 24th
Alien Swarm is a game and Source SDK release from a group of talented designers at Valve who were hired from the Mod community. Available free of charge, the game thrusts players into an epic bug hunt featuring a unique blend of co-op play and squad-level tactics. With your friends, form a squad of four distinct IAF Marine classes.
Grab it Here or search for it on Steam.
Should PC and Console Gamers play on same servers?
Jul 24th
Controller vs. mouse and keyboard? Not a fair match.
With gaming technologies so similar these days, as games use the same engine technologies, it would seem like a logical step for different platforms to be able to play with each other online. After all, Macs and PCs have been harmoniously getting along with each other online. So what about consoles?
Microsoft controls what goes on its Xbox 360 platform, so through its Games for Windows initiative, one would assume that Microsoft at one point must have contemplated getting its console gamers online with PC gamers. According to VoodooPC founder and HP CTO Rahul Sood, Microsoft tested it and then canned it.
Tonecheck – Stop sending aggressive emails
Jul 24th
ToneCheck is an email plug-in that checks the content of your emails for tone and alerts you to language that may be misunderstood or interpreted as particularly negative.
Let’s face it: Sometimes you send an email that you fully intend to convey anger or annoyance. But text communication is rife with misunderstandings, and often an email with perfectly pleasant intentions can lead to a lot of upset coworkers. That’s what ToneCheck aims to address.
50Mbit update and QoS
Jul 24th
Its been a full week of my upgrade to the 50mbit and I thought I would write a post just updating people on how it is going and some lessons learnt. The important thing to note I suppose is that jumping around the speedtest sites and getting annoyed when it does not do what it says on the tin only serves to annoy you when in reality it could be the site your testing from that does not have enough bandwidth.
My First Visit to an Apple Store
Jul 23rd
Today I went to Meadow Hall Centre which is shopping centre based in Sheffield and I spotted they had one of these so called “Apple Stores” – so I ventured in. The Store reminded me of a mobile phone store with products laid out on tables, chained to the desk and people playing with them with the odd person walking around asking if you wanted any help. This would be a good time for me to have a play with all the apple products and see them in the flesh. Would I pull my wallet out and by something or would I walk away laughing to myself that people pay so much for these things?
Virgin Broadband 50mbit install
Jul 16th
The wait was finally over and Virgin come and fitted today my brand spanking new 50mbit service complete with new modem, new router and even a USB Wireless Adaptor. This post goes over what equipment you get, what levels of speed you should expect to get and how my install went. It is to be noted this is of course UK Based ISP and on a cable connection provided by Virgin, I am sure USA people might get less down load but higher upload – depends on what you are looking for.
