marksbirch:

It is instructive to look at the trajectory of most startups in this latest so-called bubble. As I look upon the last three years, there have been enormous changes in the tech sector. The one area in particular that has contributed to these changes has been the ubiquity of technology services that…

The Beastie Boys - No Sleep Till Brooklyn (by TheBeastieBoysVEVO)

RIP Adam Yauch (MCA).

Coffee Meets Bagel is a very interesting concept. It’s not just any old dating site. The concept revolves around dating people that are connected to your friends. It’s simple, you’re paired up with a random person at noon that has a connection to one of your friends. Then you get 24 hours to talk and get to know each other before deciding. If both people agree, an official date will be set and it’s on them. I think it’s a great idea and a sweet deal. A great date spot with free complimentary gifts and you don’t even need to go speed dating or blind dates because both of you have a connection via a friend. It’s the same thing as a friend introducing you both without all the potential awkwardness. I think this a great startup company and I’m spreading the news to see it thrive.

assorted-goodness:

Pizza Surfer - by Austin Pardun

Prints available at Society6

He’s saving the world from empty stomachs at house parties & late-night deadlines.

I’m coming to the conclusion that my reviews are very thorough, but not concise. Therefore, I’m gonna try to change that with future reviews. Please bear in mind that I am still trying to work the kinks out and trying to post on a more consistent basis. There’s no reason I can’t make reviews fun, exciting, and thorough rather than bland, boring, and thorough. Hopefully the next review or posting won’t take a long time to finish.

I got my laptop back Sunday and a replacement SSD Wednesday. Thus, I finally got my CR-48 laptop repaired Wednesday night, along with the battery charger working again after consulting Google support and wondering why my battery failed to charge. Turns out you have to pull it out and plug the charger in about 6-12 times. Anyway, with that being said, I’ve upgraded from a 16 GB SanDisk SSD to a 32 GB SSD. Use MyDigitalDiscount.com and look at the mSATA SSDs from the MyDigitalSSD brand. It should list the CR-48 as being compatible with these SSDs.

With that being said, I’m going to be sharing my thoughts on this laptop that’s practically been 2 years in the making. I’ve actually used this for everyday taking notes in class when I received the box from USPS or UPS (Don’t really remember) back in 2010. My first ever post on Tumblr has pictures of that day. As a fan of Google, it was a glorious day, having been chosen out of so many from the pool and basically turning into a giddy boy who’s unwrapped his Christmas present on Christmas Day. I was clearly a lucky person. Out of that whole time, I only saw one other person who had the CR-48 at Hunter. Other than that, I was clearly in a rare group. During that time, Wi-Fi at Hunter College didn’t work right off the bat. I couldn’t connect, so I had to resort to using the 3G from Verizon. Let me just say that 100 MB definitely isn’t enough to get by for an hour, let alone a day or a month unless you were doing emails and even that is unlikely. I purchased the 1 GB plan and was on my way. Subsequent updates made it possible to connect to Hunternet, the name of Hunter’s Wi-Fi. The range was inadequate for web surfing and I originally thought it was due to the internal Wi-Fi inside the laptop, but now I think it’s both the internal Wi-Fi and the Wi-Fi at that place that isn’t up to par. The range isn’t that good in some places and the internal Wi-Fi is known to disconnect even in a place with four bars. Reconnecting is also impossible because barring a restart, it won’t be able to find the Wi-Fi router again. No idea if that’s a bug.

Anyway, for background history, Google announced a pilot program for the CR-48 back in December 2010. Through a sign-up process, people would be notified if they were chosen for the program. Only the actual process consisted of finding out the day someone came to the front of your door with a big box that consisted of the CR-48 laptop. No prior notice was given. It was perfectly possible to sign up more than once. At least, that’s what I did. Don’t remember how many times exactly but it was up there. It was also agonizing having to wait for something that might or might not arrive. Looking back, that was really stupid and I really should have found some other things to distract me from that. Then again, I might not have received the laptop if that happened.

The box itself looks to be eco-friendly, though it is bigger than most eco-friendly boxes. There’s a design of a hamster and a pseudo-connect-the-dots thing for a hamster-wheel-powered ship. Really speaks to Google’s sense of humor. Inside there was a small card for Intel, instructions on how to use the keyboard and trackpad, the power charger and the laptop itself held securely and snuggly so it doesn’t bounce around and get damaged during the shipping process. There are also stickers to brand your Chrome OS laptop with, but there’s really no point in doing that.

The laptop itself is made of a matte finish. There is no gloss anywhere on this laptop, it doesn’t exist. It evokes memories of the old black MacBook. Clearly this laptop copied a lot from that old design and it works well. It’s unbranded, which makes this laptop even more attractive. The keyboard is chiclet, like the MacBooks themselves, and about the same size as a regular keyboard. One thing you’l notice is that there are no F1 - F12 keys, those have been replace with Google Chrome-centric keys such as back, forward, refresh, fullscreen, switch windows, brightness, volume, and the power button. The caps lock key has been replaced with the search button. Before, double-tapping the shift key would turn on caps lock. However, as of Chrome OS 18, pressing shift+search will turn on caps lock. I like double-tapping the shift key better as it’s a little more easier than pressing shift+search, but that’s my prerogative on things. Anyway, the shift keys are evenly sized, which is a huge relief when coming from the ASUS keyboards like the one on the Transformer. The shift key on the right is too small to press.

Opening the lid automatically turns on the laptop which is very good and it emphasizes the quick boot-up from the SSD and that the operating system is basically the Google Chrome web browser. Upon setup, we were asked to connect to Wi-Fi, log in with our Gmail, and they let us know that we had the free 100 MB. Also, Chrome sync transferred my history, add-ons, and settings over, which is always a great thing. It takes about a few seconds and I’m on my way. If you’ve used the Chrome browser, speed is the name of the game here. Pages loaded up very fast. For Chrome OS, that doesn’t change. It’s still the same thing. the CR-48 packs an old single-core Intel Atom N455 Processor. Unfortunately, this makes the speed of loading up pages barely passable with one or two tabs on. Loading up 10 tabs with Flash-intensive webpages and 17 add-ons will cause it extreme lag. Flash is built in this browser just like the regular Chrome browser so I can watch YouTube. There’s regular Flash and then there’s Pepper Flash. Pepper Flash has better security as the Pepper API is a feature that is integrated with the Chromium and Google Chrome browsers. If Pepper Flash is turned off, then the regular Flash Player is used unless you also turned that plug-in off. The chrome://flags option is there if you want to turn on any extra effects. I’m not going to because I really don’t want to mess with my stable laptop again. There’s really no point in turning on extra effects that aren’t ready for primetime and also might prove detrimental to the operating system itself. You can always add new extensions, themes, and web-apps. Adblock Plus is recommended and has improved by a lot since the last time I used it. I did some spring cleaning and removed all apps and extensions that I don’t really need anymore and I’m happier because of it. I’m tempted to re-install Ghostery because I don’t like people tracking me. However, they need to do something about the lag and streamline that add-on so it doesn’t take up to much RAM. You can enable tap-to-click for your trackpad in the Systems tab of the Settings menu located under the wrench icon and you should enable that option because it makes life so much easier. The trackpad itself is average. Swiping with two fingers is a bit finicky sometimes and the trackpad itself jumps on occasion. Not perfect, but for me, I can live with it since it’s sporadic and not constant. Wi-Fi failures have a bigger chance of occurring than the trackpad being jumpy.

As much as I like the novelty of having an unbranded beta laptop from Google, Chrome 19 will not be coming to this laptop most likely due to the GPU and the single-core Atom processor. This means we will be denied the Aura Windows Manager and the security and bug fixes that come with Chrome 19. While the CR-48 will be getting Chrome 20, it’s kind of disappointing not to be able to get the newest user interface. Hopefully, we can still get those bug and security fixes. For a free, beta laptop, it’s not that bad because it does what it advertises. However, there are still some annoyances and bugs that relate to the browser. Don’t let that deter you from trying out a Chromebook because it’s worth a try. Chromebooks do have some hope for a future, but for the CR-48, while it will still get updates, the hardware severely limits it. Then again, it’s free so that is a point I’ll forgive it for.

Update: Forgot about Battery Life. What a goof! What a goof! Okay, regardless of how many extensions and tabs you have on the browser, you’ll last 8 hours if you have just one tab open and are using it lightly. If you have Flash running intensively on webpages, 18 extensions, and more than two tabs open, like in my case, it’ll be less than 8 hours. Although, the thing can barely operate with too many tabs open at times, so better have one or two tabs open at most.

Some of you might have heard about the Windows 8 Consumer Preview and are playing around with it. For me, it’s been good so far. It’s a beta, so some bugs are bound to pop up.

Going through the set up process was easy with no problems at all. I wanted to install it on a separate hard drive, replacing my Ubuntu 11.10 partition, so burning the Consumer Preview onto my flash drive took a little more time than the whole installation. After installation, the usual, name your computer came in. Options also included personalizing the background of the Metro user interface, and linking your email account to Windows itself. I used my Hotmail account, always thankful for still having it. Then after the reboot, I was treated to a fish boot up screen, which turned into the new dual-boot screen previously seen in the Developer Preview. The new screen is a real pleasure to look at because it feels more organic and it’s definitely beautiful than the DOS-based text of old. I’m leaving the default on Windows 8 for now, as I want to spend some more time and get to know this operating system. Boot up time was very fast, I guess about a minute before I arrived at the login screen. I linked my Hotmail account at the start up screen and logged in.

First thing I saw, the start menu screen. This is the Metro user interface at its finest. People who’ve used Windows Phone 7 products and/or the Windows Developer Preview need not be surprised here. Everything is in its metro glory. I went in to the app store and proceeded to go on a downloading spree. I’ve gotten pretty addicted to Wordament despite my lack of finesse in playing it. It’s given me prep time for Scramble with Friends in case it comes out for Android. The rest of the apps there do what they are advertised to do, but they’re limited as most of them are “app previews”. Setting up email on the Metro UI was a breeze and both Gmail and Windows Live Mail set up pretty nicely and all folders were displayed. However, I question the lack of Yahoo Mail because I use that on occasion as well. Hopefully, this will be fixed in the Release Candidate. Messaging might be complicated at first glance, but it turns out that all it is Microsoft’s version of iMessage, though you can chat with people on Windows Live Messenger, Google Talk, and Facebook.

Hitting the Desktop tile, the first noticeable difference is the lack of the Start Menu button. The old Windows Developer Preview still had the button, although it was colored black and clicking on it would take you to the Metro portion of Windows. They’ve scrapped the button for the Consumer Preview. Instead, hovering the mouse over the lower left corner will give a preview of the Metro Start screen which you can click to return to it. Other than that, the Aero Peek button from Windows 7 is replaced with the Charms Bar. Charms Bar details the settings, Info, Share, etc. Those options can be accessed regardless of what UI you choose to use. Simply hover the mouse over the lower right-hand corner and you’ll see some icons that will turn into a black bar on the right-hand side as your mouse goes up. Aero Peek itself isn’t gone, hovering the mouse over the icon on the taskbar would reproduce the Aero effect, but only once. The old Windows 7 trick of hovering over the taskbar on the lower right corner doesn’t work either. Either I would hit the Charms Bar or nothing would happen. Right-clicking properties on the Taskbar shows Aero Peek to be on. However, it’s that big of a loss if it’s not there. As for Aero itself, it seems that Aero’s shine has been toned down a bit so that windows no longer look like transparent glass. Aero looks more translucent, making it a bit more tolerable now. Windows Explorer now sports the Ribbon UI seen in Office 2010, though minimized for maximum window screen real-estate. I think it’s not something people should get wrapped up over. I barely use it and I could care less for it, but if it makes things easier to locate, then that should be applauded. I feel it’s a minor thing to squabble over anyway. Beyond that, all programs install the same. Office 2010 installed fine. Programs can be viewable in the Metro screen in separate tiles, but clicking on it will take you to the regular Desktop. You can choose to unpin those tiles from the Start menu if you so choose. The option to put up Sidebar from Windows Vista and 7 is also available via right-click, although I doubt people will care to use it.

Internet Explorer 10 Platform Preview 5 hasn’t changed from IE 9 if you’re on the desktop. Metro IE 10 is a different story. Taking its UI cues from IE Mobile 9 from Windows Phone 7, Metro IE is a larger version of IE Mobile. Tabs are on the top, accessible by right clicking the mouse. No plug-ins are supported in the Metro version of Internet Explorer. Flash, Silverlight, Java users are out of luck. The desktop version will continue to support plug-ins though. Flash Player 11 easily installed on the desktop IE. Desktop IE is still the same as IE 9. No user interface changes, tracking protection is still there, as is ActiveX Filtering. Installing the tracking protection filters itself is a problem I’ve encountered recently, as when I tried clicking on the links, nothing happened. One new thing to note is at the About Internet Explorer setting on the Settings Menu now has an option where you can allow automatic updating for new versions. Definitely leave that checked. Other than that, it’s faster and I feel a little more secure using Internet Explorer 10 even at a beta level. However, being that I’m using a beta, I did something different and installed the latest stable version of Opera. Opera works fine and it is simple enough for me to use, though I’ve experienced some compatibility issues with a few sites here and there. I’m still not crazy about it though, but it does the job.

I like Metro and I think that for it’s got a future among tablets. I think Microsoft has something special there and it’s a reason why I’m considering a Windows Phone over and Android now. There needs to be a unified experience between the two different user interfaces because otherwise, people are going to wonder how come their information doesn’t transfer over to the desktop. I think that creating an option to allow syncing between Metro and Desktop would be a start to improve the Windows 8. Hopefully they’ll do something along those lines for the Release Candidate. Hopefully Metro UI will have more apps when the final version comes out. Windows 8 is the continuation of something that began with Windows Phone 7, especially in a gradually increasing Flash-free world. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Metro screen replaces the desktop in future versions of Windows. In fact, I think the Metro UI should’ve replaced the classic Desktop for Windows 8 just to state that this is a whole new Windows and a new era and to have people really get used to the user interface named Metro. Regardless, Windows is definitely making some waves and the Consumer Preview reaffirms Microsoft’s ability to innovate and be original.

arcademovie:

This is a still frame from footage we shot on March 14, 2012.  Owen Strock and I were shooting b-roll for the movie around Chinatown Fair when we noticed the security gate at 8 Mott Street raised.  Earlier in the week, Sam, the previous owner of Chinatown Fair, told me someone was re-opening the arcade.  But you hear a lot of things.  I wasn’t sure how likely it was happening.  Now we know.  A group of men were moving some of the old games back inside.  One of the men introduced himself as Lonnie.  He told me they were hired to move in the games and empty the trash that remained inside.  I spoke with Henry Cen, co-owner of Next Level and integral part of the old Chinatown Fair, and he told me a guy named Lonnie was reopening the arcade at 8 Mott Street.  I am guessing the Lonnie I met is the Lonnie reopening the arcade.  It’s interesting to note that if this is the same Lonnie, it isn’t the first time he has been involved with a beloved NYC institution.  Lonnie told me he used to bartend at his uncle’s place, Max’s Kansas City.

I love how the story of Chinatown Fair keeps going.  I suspect it will never truly end.  

-Kurt

www.facebook.com/arcademovie

Sweet!

hragv:

The Mandarin Oriental cocktail menu has social media cocktails. Hilarious.

I think I’d like the Garden of Google, maybe the sipadvisor also.

KONY 2012 (by invisiblechildreninc)

No child deserves to have their childhood taken away from them so that they become sex slaves or child soldiers. It’s just wrong. Please make Joseph Kony famous.