Tag Technology

When Earpods go haywire!

brilliantviewpoint 19 Comments

Something really funny happened to me recently. I walk a lot and needed some Earpods. The Powerbeats that Apple recommends are good, but pricey. I have a pair, but they are getting old.

I was at TJ Max the other day and I saw these Earpods that looked pretty snazzy. Great price, around $35, I think. DONE, I decided to stop searching for Powerbeats, buy these instead.

There’s a reason why Apple always recommends using “their” products versus other brands.

Here’s what happened…

I charged these new earpods, which seemed to do well. I put them in my ears and headed out for a walk. My girlfriend called. I could hear her really well. I was feeling proud of my purchase and saving money. BUT WAIT… that didn’t last long.

Here’s where it went haywire. It was really windy, I went to put my hair behind my ear. Doing this, I gently touched the Earpod. Well, that hung up on my girlfriend and turned my audio book on. How weird is that. I didn’t push on anything, just barely touched the headphone. My girlfriend was calling me back and I was still trying to turn the audio book off.

Wait – there’s more. Somehow, these Earpods made my Garmin watch go crazy too. This has NEVER happened. Suddenly, my watch was indicating that I needed to count my breathing. I did E -V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G to get out of that breathing segment. No button I pushed worked. My Garmin watch kept telling me how PROUD they were of me for using the breathing segment. You know, those rah-rah messages they send us. I was really going insane.

Man-O-Man! When I took those Earpods off they were constantly flashing red/blue, red/blue. It was so annoying. I wondered what other device of mine these Earpods were trying to “attack!”

I had renewed appreciation for my Powerbeats. I never had an issue like this.

So, cheaper is not always better. Not in this case.

What electronic issues have you had lately?

Warning, California Prop 65 – Cancer and Reproductive Harm… on EVERYTHING?

brilliantviewpoint 16 Comments

Have you noticed this issue lately? You look at something, want to buy it, and when you take it out of the package or turn dish around on the bottom you see the CA Prop 65 Cancer and Reproductive Harm Warning.

I ask you, “Why are companies even allowed to make the product if they put that warning label on it?”

Take this flashlight. I found it over the holidays. An outdoor shop had a sample to test. I tried it out. I measured it, so you could see, it’s small, but powerful. I thought it was great. Well, I get home, I pull the NEW flashlight out of the box and THERE is the CANCER WARNING.

It’s funny. As soon as I saw the WARNING, I almost dropped the flashlight on the floor. You know, like if you suddenly saw a spider on your hand. Fling it away. What does that warning really mean? If I keep holding that flashlight I could get cancer?

This is maddening. I was in a furniture store the other day. I saw a leather recliner. Nice looking blue color. I went to look at the tag. It said, “CA Prop 65 – Cancer, etc. WARNING.” Really, a recliner too? Now, who in their right mind would buy this leather recliner? Do you want to sit in your expensive chair with the constant thought of cancer on your mind?. I saw some dishes at the store. Guess what, turned them around and on the bottom — the cancer warning.

I’ve seen the warning in the past, but lately, I seem to see it constantly. No wonder there are so many people sick with cancer. It seems to be everywhere. Did you hear the egg one now? Fried eggs could cause bladder cancer, but boiled eggs are Ok.

So, opinions — What do I do with the flashlight? Take the risk of getting cancer or return it?

Technology… and parents

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I saw this picture and thought of my parents. I am their new Tech guy.

I haven’t seen my parents for a few months, because of COVID. They are in their 80s, we’ve been vaccinated, so time for a visit.

I got to the door expecting a hug, so good to see you. Instead, I got a “Cheecholino (An Italian endearment, like darling. I spelled it like it sounds.), we NEED your help! This is an emergency. Netflix isn’t working! If you can fix Netflix, your father will say you are a HERO!”

My mother is very clever in her word usage. Build the ego up, and use my father as the one who wants Netflix working. So, I am put into childhood mode, this is a HIGH PRIORITY situation. YOUR FATHER WANTS THIS DONE. Hahaha…

No offer of tea or coffee. I was marched into the TV room, handed the TV remote. The idea here was this, while I just arrived — I would not be allowed to leave UNLESS I got Netflix to work. So, get THIS done, before I would be offered a refreshment.

My mother proceeded to tell me the password wasn’t working. They called Xfinity to reset password, again not working.

Here is what is amusing… As I was trying to type in password, my mother became a back seat driver. No, type like this — NO, this is a capital —- NO, NO, NO.

Getting a bit frustrated, I said if she needed help, she needed to let me do MY JOB!

Anyhow…. I did get Netflix working. I am a HERO.

However, just when I thought ALL WAS GOOD. My Dad tells me he’s lost all of his email contacts.

Guess what I will be doing next…. BUT this time, tea first! We know how long these tech projects can take. If my Dad is a back seat driver too, then I might need to SPIKE my tea!!

Ah – I need to be like the guy in photo – SERVICE WITH A SMILE!

How do YOU organize your To Do List?

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I saw this picture and I got the biggest chuckle. It’s exactly how my brain works. I like to see everything I need to do at once in bright beautiful colors all over the place. If it is in a notebook, for me, information is lost. Move one Post-It Note and I WILL KNOW – no joke!

Interesting how our individual brains work/process information.

I’ve been reading about Evernote, but there is a monthly charge – don’t want that. Still need Netflix. Hum…

Any other ideas?

Digital technology + clothing = Jet Suit

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7F567F57-2375-4FCA-84CF-7A9A13AA6EEBAnyone want to fly in the air? The time is coming. The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago has a new exhibit called, “Wired to Wear™.”

If you go to the museum’s website there is a video that shows the gentleman in the photo “flying.” YES, he is “flying” in his Jet Suit. I’m grinning, when I was a child we always watched “The Jetsons,” an animated cartoon sitcom on TV. The Jetsons lived their life in an utopian future flying wherever they needed to go.

As a child, of course, I thought this was a great way to live, but I also knew this was “fantasty,” OR SO I THOUGHT. Fast forward to 2019, and if I go to this exhibit, I’ll be able to see that flying to work myself one day might not be too far off. Technology has really taken off.

It sounds like there is more to the exhibit than just the Jet Suit, they have other wearable clothing. For example, clothing that expresses your emotions. That sounds a bit robotic. I’m trying to imagine this.

First, I go into my closet and find my Jet Suit. Then I look and think, “TODAY, I am going to wear my jacket that expresses emotions.” I dress up and head to work.

Since flying was exhausting, I don’t have to talk to people, because I have my jacket on that expresses emotions. If someone comes by my office, do I just press a button and let my jacket do the talking. This sounds bizarre, I’m trying to visualize it. I guess this is why I have to go to the exhibit. I want to see first hand, what this is about.

I’m thinking, if this is our future life…

Do I want to be like Star Trek or Star Wars!

I’ll give you a hint, I like fast paced adventure!

Amazon Go -> Use their App, shop at convenience store with no cashier!

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iphone-shoppingAmazon has done it again, another new business idea. Have you heard, they have come out with Amazon Go, a new way of shopping by using the Amazon Go App. Right now, Amazon has a small test site close to their headquarters in Seattle. Amazon employees started testing this new technology at the beginning of December 2016. Their goal is to open this to the public early 2017.

Here’s how it works. You download the Amazon Go App, enter the convenience store where they sell bread, eggs, drinks, sandwiches, coffee, etc., put what you want to buy in your bag and “merely” walk out of the store. Shortly after you leave the store, you receive a receipt for your purchases from Amazon. Easy as that!

It’s interesting technology, watch how this works on YouTube video published by Amazon, “Introducing Amazon Go and the world’s most advanced shopping technology.”

space-needle-720742_960_720

Seattle’s Space Needle

How many of you watched the cartoon show, “The Jetsons,” when you were young. If you did, you’ll remember how space age and into technology the show was, really futuristic. The show’s look was inspired by the Space Needle in Seattle and they lived in the sky to get away from the smog.

If you are not familiar with the show, see this YouTube video called, “The Jetsons Future of Technology,” where someone spliced together some clips from different episodes to show how the writer saw us using technology in the future in the 1960s…  and now over 50 years later it’s becoming a reality.

Stay tuned, let’s see when Amazon Go goes public!