Tesla Time Machine?

A friend of mine saw this Tesla today. What the hell is that antenna for?

Hands On With Google Chromecast

On Thursday Google introduced a new product to the Internet TV market called Chromecast. The internet streaming market is a crowded space with products from Apple, Roku, Google, Boxee... and many others. The problem with all of these existing devices is none of them provide a complete solution.

The nifty chart above lays out what each of the most popular streaming solutions have to offer. The chart is a little misleading but overall a good depiction of each solution. The Chromecast certainly won't replace any of the other streaming devices. It will however complement any of them nicely. And for $35, it's a great deal and well worth the investment.

What Does it Do?
The Chromecast has a few native applications that will seamlessly stream to your TV. With this initial rollout Netflix, Youtube & Google Play are all supported. I've heard rumor that Hulu+ will be supported in the near future, but nothing has been released as of yet.

Now your probably thinking, big deal all of the devices mentioned above can stream Netflix! The reason I'm sold on the Chromecast is the ability to stream or "fling" as Google puts it, any Chrome Browser tab to your TV. Let's face it, so called Smart TV's suck. The interface is clunky, the internet browsing experience is terrible & they are expensive. The Chromecast's ability to fling content from a Chrome Browser on your smart phone, tablet or computer (Mac & PC supported natively) is a pretty cool trick. I realize that you can hook up a laptop to your TV and have the same experience. But who wants to do that?  Another nice feature is the Chromecast allows your connected devices to act as a remote control for your TV. You can adjust volume, pause, play or stop the incoming stream. It's all around pretty cool.

The possibilities with this widget are pretty endless. Device compatibility and having the "right cables" is no longer an issue. The Chromecast will connect to any HDMI port and just work. Makes doing presentations in an unfamiliar office a snap. More entertaining is the notion of scaring the crap out of your neighbors with the un-secured WiFi network. If they have a Chromecast you can connect to their network and fling content to their TV. Scary I know, but I thought of an even more sinister experience for the next time we visit a sports bar. You can probably see where I'm going with this.

As a so called "cord cutter" I'm always looking for new ways to stream more content to my TV. I have four Roku streaming devices and love them! There are some limitations to this wonderful device however, and the Chromecast promises to fill this need for more internet streaming content. We were able to successfully stream Hulu+ content that is "internet only" from a Chrome Browser tab to our TV. It's a nice workaround for content that is intended to be viewed only on your computer or mobile devices.

My recommendation, go buy one! It's $35 and everything you will need is included in the package.

I Miss My Roku

This Thanksgiving we are spending a few days with family in Utah. I really do enjoy spending time up here in the cold air with wonderful people. There is one issue however. They have DirecTV as their service provider. Fare enough you'd think, lots of channels to choose from. Surely we can find something to watch, right? Wrong!  I truly miss our Roku streaming Netflix, Hulu & Amazon Instant Video!  I've become accustomed to watching my favorite shows and movies on my schedule, not DirecTV's schedule.

The biggest bummer, there is absolutely nothing on satellite TV when I want to watch it. Sure you can watch Nanny McPhee for the 800th time, but really how much can you take! I want to catch up on The Walking Dead or watch old episodes of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. Sifting through 600 channels of crap, 8 of which are ESPN with reruns of highlights from games I could care less about is not my idea of entertainment.

I can truly say that cutting the cord a few years back was the best thing we ever did. You quickly realize that cable and satellite have made you believe that you need their products. I can attest that is all a myth. Cutting the cord is easy and it saves you a TON of money. Just my 2 cents.....

Windows 8, Why Microsoft Why?

Three weeks ago I got this great idea to upgrade my perfectly functioning Windows 7 laptop to Windows 8. I'm the type of person that likes to jump right in on OS upgrades, after all I loved Windows 7. 

I've been kicking myself ever since this decision. Windows 8 to me is a major step backward. It's difficult to understand what Microsoft's vision for this upgrade was. To be fair I haven't used Windows 8 on a touchscreen interface. For all I know it may be wonderful. I can however speak to my experience with a mouse and keyboard.

To say everything is different would be a major understatement. The new tile interface is attractive, but for me completely non-functional. Finding your favorite applications is very very difficult. Even for a seasoned user of Microsoft products finding your way around is cumbersome and confusing. I thought after a week or two I would be used to the new interface. I was wrong. I'm still confused where to find things and how to make simple changes to my user experience. The start button and menu are also gone. This has a been a feature of Windows since Windows 95. Why fix what isn't broken?  The start menu is the one location where you could find all of your programs and settings. To go away from that thought process seems ludicrous.

To be honest I can't find many positives about Windows 8. I'm a Microsoft fan boy and often find myself defending their sometimes illogical decisions. I can't defend this decision. Windows 8 is a major step backward and I wish Microsoft would stop shoving it down our throats. You can't buy a new laptop or desktop without it. So I just won't buy one. Microsoft is blaming the PC makers for the slow adaptation of Windows 8. This is a deflection of the truth. The slow adaptation is due to the poor design of the OS.

Techno-Weenie

Well well, this blog thing is kind of interesting. Being a techno-weenie you think I would have jumped on the band wagon much sooner. However I never felt the need to write, that and I'm not sure if anyone wants to read this nonsense.

Anyway this morning I was trolling around the internet as I usually do early in the morning. I started watching movie trailers on apple.com (shameless plug). There where a few really good movies that I can't wait to see. Then I ran across this weird movie that follows the lives of these people that re-enact the game War Craft. I've never played War Craft but I guess it is a role playing game. Anyway I thought my geekiness was overwhelming. These people put me to shame. Anyway to view the trailer follow this link http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/monstercamp/ It's worth a good laugh.

I also saw a very good trailer that somehow hit me in the gut. This movie follows the lives of a group of teens in their last year of high school. They market it as a modern day Breakfast Club. Anyway check this trailer out also, it is very good. http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount_vantage/americanteen/

Well that is it for now. Hope someone reads this and gets a kick out of the trailers. I will post something more compelling later.