Mosquito Repellent Apps

There really is an app for that.

I'm not believing yet that sonic mosquito repellent apps really work, but there are many dozens of free (I love free) apps to try out, although failure is an itchy outcome.  You'll find them for both Android and iOS.

Photo Sphere Camera

iOS only:

Google has released a version of its Photo Sphere Camera for the iPhone/iPad, making it super easy to create 360 degree images.  Position yourself in the middle of the area you want to capture and start the app. Move the white outlined circle over the orange circle and it takes that picture automatically.  Turn left or right a little to find the next orange circle.  Repeat that process, left and right, up and down until all the need pictures are captured.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/photo-sphere-camera/id904418768

Delta Studio

I'll be checking out the new Delta Studio during my trip next week to Key West, Florida, hoping I can watch Spiderman 2 on my iPad.  I'll post my review after the Labor Day holiday.

http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/in-flight-services/amenities-information/delta-studio.html

Quirky Cordies

There are moments where I yearn for days of my youth, being able to go to bed without the hassle of making sure my battery-powered mobile device life will be 100% charged for me in the morning.  But at least I no longer have to fish the power cords off the floor, thanks to my new Quirky Cordies cable organizer. Thanks to my co-worked Barb for the great idea!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GUS4WG/ref=pe_385040_121528360_TE_dp_1

Slippy Problem Solved

I have a tray in my 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee that makes a great place for my HTC One M8 to rest while driving around listening to Pandora radio.  The problem has been that the tray is plastic and slippy (a word commonly used in Pittsburgh), and most left or right turns would cause the smart-phone to fly away.  I can't fault Jeep; the car was built 4 years before the iPhone was invented, although the true usefulness of the tray is a mystery to me.

I knew I needed to make the tray's surface "stickier", and I recently found the perfect solution - spray-on rubber coating.  Three coats and the problem's solved.

Front-Facing Camera

Yesterday I needed to document some phone/data jack numbers and ran across a couple behind office furniture with only a two-inch clearance, fairly dark and with no clean line-of-sight.

But I was armed with my swiss-army-knife, app-loaded smart-phone.  I first tried the Color Flashlight app to illuminate the area, but the viewing angle was too severe.  Second attempt was the Camera app, but the picture turned out way too fuzzy due to its long focal length.  But if the normal camera has a longer focal length, perhaps the front-facing "Selfie" camera was shorter.  Bingo!  Success, as shown in the photo below.

USB 3.1

How many attempts does it take to plug in a USB cable?  For me, it's about 3, although 1 1/2 should be the mathematical answer since it should be upside-down only half the time.

Fortunately a solution is forthcoming with the next generation's USB 3.1 cables being bi-directional, so there is no upside-down.  Of course it's also faster (what new tech isn't?) and is built for the future (ditto), but fixing its most annoying feature is the best.

And wow, it only took 17 years.

http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/13/usb-type-c-standard-finalized

Google Flights

Hands down, kayak.com is my go-to website for travel planning when I know where I want to travel.  But when I'm exploring options, looking at the Map View within Google Flights lets my imagination take over.

https://www.google.com/flights/

Atari Beakout

Throwback Thursday:

Can't remember where you put that old Atari and have a hankering for a 1970's game?  Atari Breakout is a few web browser clicks away.  Just do a Google Image search for "Atari Breakout", or click the link below, and test your eye-hand-mouse coordination.

https://www.google.com/search?q=atari+breakout&tbm=isch

Not My Monkeys

Hump Day Humor:

I may have been the last person on this planet to hear this saying.  An amazing six words that fits work, family drama, the PTA and many other situations.