Feathering The Nest. (A Nest 2nd Gen Review)

Ok, this is more about the Nest in general than the unit itself. Replacing an old, and poorly installed, Honeywell thermostat, I decided on the 2nd generation Nest unit over the current 3rd gen one. Why? Cost and features. Our furnace isn't the latest and greatest unit, and wouldn't really warrant any additional benefits from the 3rd gen Nest. Using a Nest display as a wall clock is also not appealing. The extra $50 didn't seem worth it for no real added benefit. (That $50 could go into a Nest Protect or Nest Cam)

For those still worried about compatibility and installation, you can take a photo of the current wiring of your thermostat, email it to Nest for evaluation before purchasing.

After ComEd's electricity rebate of $100, and Northshore Gas' $20 rebate... the $200 2nd Gen Nest totals only $80. So it was an easy choice.

Installation is extremely easy. As long as your current thermostat is wired properly, it takes about 15-20 min. with the only tool needed being the included screwdriver. Although a powered screwdriver will make things go faster.

So how is it living with the Nest? Quite good. One tip, is to create a new Gmail (or agree on a common Gmail) for your Nest account. This way, every household member that you'd like to have control can install and monitor the Nest from their phone. This also makes the Auto Away (the feature that tells the Nest that you're not home) work much more reliably since it's tied into your Google+ location as well.

For the first 3 weeks, the Nest was playing around with the furnace. By this, I mean that it would turn it on as needed but shut down after a few minutes. Then start up again. This made me initially think that the furnace or Nest was broken. But as the days went by, it learned how our furnace worked and how long it took to heat the house, and when to start heating up.

Granted it has been a mild winter this year, there have only been a couple of times when I've had to adjust the heat up and only for a few minutes.

The Auto Away feature is quite useful. You never have to worry about leaving your heat on, and even if you do, a quick check on the app allows you to switch off your heat in case it hadn't detected you weren't home. It gets it right about 85% of the time so far.

Savings? YMMV. If you keep your heat at 85ºF (30ºC) in the winter all the time, then you probably won't notice much savings. So far, we've been quite happy with a 68ºF (20ºC) setting for early am and early pm settings and 65ºF(18ºC) for most of the day. The weekly report shows our furnace on for about 2-3 hours a day total. Probably savings of a few minutes every day. It may not seem like much but the remote feature and learning function are worth it.

All in all, it's worth it. If $250 is too much for the current model, get the 2nd gen model. The smaller screen isn't that inconvenient and is $50 cheaper. Rebates bring the total cost of ownership under $100. It looks good, works well, and is the easiest connected thermostat to learn.

Ok Google!

Yay! Google Now "hot word" detection from any screen is now active on my account!

Tech Tip of the Day: GMail Image Settings

Google recently incorporated a new security measure for embedded images in the email you receive. Their system automatically caches the image and displays the cached version. This is an added safety feature for GMail users but may still pose limited exposure for spammers and marketers.

This may not eliminate spam all together but it does make it slightly less convenient for spam or marketing firms to gain your info via embedded images.

Because of this new system, Google has made the default setting of Gmail to display all images. This isn't good, but easily remedied.

Simply go to your Settings in Gmail

Then make sure you select "Ask before displaying external images". And while you're at it, enable "Always use HTTPS" in the browser setting. Save your settings.

Tablet War Z (Sony Xperia Tablet Z - First Impressions)

Sony seems to be on a roll the past year. With the release of their "Z" line it includes the following smartphones:

Z

ZL

ZR

ZU (Z Ultra - recently announced)

Their current flagship in their tablet line, the Xperia Tablet Z. An impressive piece of design. Now the specs are equally impressive, but the first thing that grabs you is the jet-black glossy screen. Something about it just draws you in. Reminiscent of Sony's Bravia TV line, it commands attention.

The next thing you notice is how thin the thing is. Now most of you, have read the past reviews as this tablet has been out in other countries for several weeks now. But it's something else when you actually hold it. It's THIN. Just as a point of reference, the current iPad is 9.4mm thick. The Xperia Tablet Z is 6.9mm thin. "It's about 27% thinner!" To paraphrase a certain Apple Design Chief w/ a British accent.

Not only has Sony managed to slice this tablet thinner than the rest, it gave it a very under appreciated feature. An IP water/dustproof rating! Which basically means you can get this thing wet and it won't complain. Up to 1m under fresh water for 30 min. Take note, that's FRESH water. Beach goers, the salt water won't damage the internal circuitry, but it will corrode the external contacts and may scratch the screen. If you happen to accidentally get your tablet wet with sea water, wash it down with fresh water ASAP.

***MAKE SURE ALL EXTERNAL COVERS ARE CLOSED PROPERLY***

I think the cover flaps are the most annoying part, but necessary to maintain the waterproof nature and have expansion slots (SIM, micro SD). But was a SIM tray really unnecessary?!?! WTF?!?!

This is one beautifully designed machine. What I like about both Apple and Sony is that they both pay attention to the overall design of their devices. Without looking like each other! Both the iPad and Tablet Z have a very Zen look, but are quite distinct from each other. I'd never mistake a Tablet Z for an iPad. (And vice versa)

In case you didn't notice from the photos, my UI doesn't look like Sony's UI. It's not. Although Sony does the least objectionable modifications to Android (Other manufacturers are just ruining Android with their horribly coded skins) it still causes slight lagging. I've been on Apex since my X10 Mini Pro days and have found it to be a very good launcher. Now, don't get me wrong, Sony's Home Launcher isn't bad. And it actually has a few advantages. The Walkman and Weather widgets of Sony don't work on anything else. So if you like those widgets, you may want to stick with Sony's UI instead. But I prefer designing my own UI layout, so I opt to use a 3rd party Home screen.

LTE will be dependent on your provider, but so far, it's pretty good. That will be for another review when I compare the local providers.

The screen is very nice. Viewing photos and videos is very pleasant. Contrast is very good and viewing angles are decent. Sound is moderately loud, has a gimmicky "Surround" mode which makes music and movie effects sound like their coming from outside the tablet (neat but weakens the audio, nice in a quiet room). Camera is quite good. Nothing extraordinary about it over other Sony Xperia Exmor cameras though. Video playback is nice and clear. The Full HD screen does make 1080p videos look amazing. The Mobile Bravia Engine 2 gives it a slight edge. (Nothing drastic, but enough to make videos look just a little bit better)

So, what are my initial impressions? This is one excellent tablet. It has the right balance of power and design. Quite in line with Sony's "OmniBalance" design ethos. This is a very good come back product for Sony. And worthy of the "Z" flagship designation. That's it for my initial review. I'll be going in depth with this tablet in the days to come. Follow me on Twitter or Facebook for more technology tips and news!

App of the Day: FaceBook Messenger (Chat Head)

Facebook has added a new feature to its mobile app called Chat Head. Available when the Messenger add-on is installed, it allows the chat icon of the person you're having a conversation with to be visible at all times. Quite handy if you use Facebook chat a lot as it eliminates a few steps to get to a chat window via the Notification Bar.

The little circle with your contact's profile photo can be left on your home screen at all times for easy access or if you long press, an "x" will appear at the bottom of your screen and you can close the chat window. This does not delete the conversation, it only closes the open window.

You may also reposition the chat circles around the edge of your screen to a more convenient location.

Not a big deal but it's a neat feature if you use Facebook chat often.

Check it out on Google Play now!

Battle of the Map Apps

A lot of buzz surrounding the whole Apple Maps issue. A lot of people say it's hardly noticeable, for others... disastrous.

On this side of the planet, here in the Philippines... this is the situation. I tried being fair, entering the name of a popular city rather than some obscure street. These were my results each with the same search parameters simply entered in Google Maps, bing maps, and iOS Maps. Only Google knew of the city.

What are your funny map app stories unique to where you live?

Google Doodle: Star Trek 46th Anniversary

Check out Google's highly interactive Start Trek Doodle!

Click here for all of Google's previous Doodles.

Why Pay For Apps?

There are a ton of free ad-supported apps out there. A lot are quite good and more than adequate for most people's needs. So why bother buying an app? To get rid of those tacky ads? Because it's only $1? To support the development for a good app that you like? Perhaps. But the biggest (and best IMO) reason to buy the ad-free version from a good developer is system performance.

Ad-supported apps need (surprise, surprise) ads to pay their salaries. Those ads need an active internet connection in order to pull in the next ad to display. That takes up internet bandwidth, CPU cycles, and battery life. An article on BBC stated that up to 80% of battery consumed by any particular app is dedicated to the ad-supported functions (receiving the ad, sending anonymous user info back to the system)

Every line of computer code that is run, no matter how small, can use up system speed. Even if a free app uses only 0.5% of your CPU to pull an ad, few people only have ONE app installed. Now, there are those that don't use mobile data and think "Well, that's no biggie to me. I don't use mobile data so I don't see those ads". Why not just shut off your internet connection then? Well, you may not see the ad, but now, the app will continue to poll for new ad content continuously eating up CPU cycles and battery life. The app won't stop requesting for a new ad (or stop trying to send user info) just because you shut off your internet. Even more so, it will try more often until it gets to connect to the system.

Now, are free ad-based apps all bad? Of course not. But when you use an app quite often, it may be worth the $1 (Gasp, you may have to delay buying that latte) to purchase it. It will de-clutter your screen, improve system speed, and help support the developers that actually make good apps!

Happy Philippine Independence Day!

Google's Doodle today displays elements of the Philippine flag

and leads to entries on Philippine Independence.

Click the doodle below to see those links.

Down to Earth... The Next Google Earth

Google has recently announced their next update for Google Earth... an extremely detailed 3D render of the whole planet.

This is the next Google Earth...

**On a side note, a while back, Apple bought a Swedish company called C3 that offered a very similar mapping technology. Who will be the dominant map? That will probably depend on the efficiency of the 3D engine and updated accuracy of the maps**

Mutli-Touch? Pfft... Multi-MOUSE!

Forget multi-touch. Old news... old school.

Google has come up with an ingenious Multitask Mode in Chrome that allows you to use multiple mice, running 2 concurrent tasks at once!

Try it out here!

Happy Geeky Valentine's Day Everyone!

Enter the following in Google!

(sqrt(cos(x))*cos(400*x)+sqrt (abs(x))-0.4)*(4-x*x)^0.1

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

The video below, was Google's V-Day Doodle... enjoy!

End Piracy, Not Liberty! Take Action!

There are better ways to end piracy. I'd like to invite everyone to read the ff on the proposed SOPA and PIPA, and please sign the petition.  Click here to sign the petition on Google's page.

Google Tip of the Day

Type in

"do a barrel roll"

Hehehehe...

Google Tip of the Day

Type in "askew"

Hehehehe...

Where Do You Want To Go Today?

Google Maps will help you find the way!

This isn't new to those in the US, but here in the Philippines, GPS Navigation has been restricted to just map and coordinate data.  Google has just recently deployed their Map Directions feature (not yet Google Navigation, but that's coming real soon now that Directions is active) Simply head on over to Google Maps and search for your destination.

Select the appropriate location on map, and click [Direction]

By default, Google Maps will show directions from your current location but you can drag this icon to any starting point and the route recalculates.

The turning points may be dragged to suit your preferred route as well. You may also select an alternate route from a list.

Driving directions will be displayed on the left pane, while the map will show the routes and turning points.

This also works on Android phones!

(BTW, for those geeky enough to know, yes, my title was a Microsoft slogan)

Things To Come : Upcoming Android Phones

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

See? If pressed (and sued), mobile phone design teams don't have to be lazy and can design great looking phones that DO NOT look like the iPhone. That's always been one of the main reasons I like Ericsson / Sony Ericsson, they haven't done an iPhone clone yet.

Samsung and Motorola have announced their new flagship phones.  The Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the Motorola Droid Razr.  Both phones carry impressive specs.

Motorola Droid Razr

The Motorola boasts being only 7.1mm thick (with a lump measuring about 10.5 mm at the top, near the camera) while Samsung's measures 8.9 mm,  sporting a first-of-its-kind curved screen.

While both phones have 4.3" AMOLED screens, the Galaxy Nexus has an incredible 1280 x 720 resolution making it a true HD phone and one of the few in the 300+ ppi range.  The Droid Razr is no slouch though, sporting a 960 x 540 resolution putting it above most current Android phones which have 854 x 480 displays.

Both will be sporting 1.2 GHz dual-core CPUs as well.  But the biggest advantage of Samsung is that it will be using Google's latest Android version, Ice Cream Sandwich.  Although I'm pretty sure Motorola will be getting the update shortly after since they are owned by Google now.

The next few months leading up to the Holiday season are gonna be very exciting!

Happy Birthday Google!

Google turns 13 today!

Google in 1998

Trivia: Google is a misspelled version of googol, a term for an extremely large number.  Specifically 1 followed by 100 zeros.  (Which is why Google's search results are displayed with an increasing number of o's at the bottom.  A googolplex is 1 followed by a googol of zeros.  Googleplex is the name of Google's headquarters.

More trivia, the term googol was coined in 1938 by Milton Sirotta, the 9 year old nephew of mathematician Edward Kasner to represent a large number that was still finite.  Initially described as 1 followed by as many zeros you can write before you get tired.

A googol is officially "ten duotrigintillion" on the math short-scale (million, billion, trillion type nomenclature)

**All information is, of course, found on Google.com **

Android App of the Day: SMS Backup & Restore

If you like keeping old SMS, you'll find this little app quite handy.

All Android phones store contact, calendar, and email online (aka, The Cloud).  But SMS data is still stored on the phone, and isn't easily transferred from one Android to another.

Enter SMS Backup & Restore.  A simple program that exports all your text messages to a file which you can email to yourself, then retrieve and restore at a later date, or from a new phone.

I Scream! You Scream! We All Scream for Ice Cream... Sandwich!

For those that don't know, Google's mobile operating system, Android has nicknames for the different versions that have been released.  All corresponding to desserts:

Version

1.5 : Cupcake

1.6 : Donut

2.0/2.1 : Eclair

2.2 : FroYo

2.3 : Gingerbread

and for the tablets

3.0 : Honeycomb

Now, apparently, in the Google kitchen, if you combine Gingerbread and Honeycomb... you get an Ice Cream Sandwich.

Officially Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich is the proper, unified OS for both Android Smartphones and Tablets.  No longer requiring a separate system for each one, 4.0 allows developers to create apps for a broader range of consumers with compatible devices.

Google has announced that Ice Cream Sandwich will be available starting Nov/Dec of this year.

*** Sony Ericsson has also announced that their current xperia range, starting with the arc, will also be receiving Android 4.0 although the exact date was not revealed yet.  Let's hope soon! ***