fashiontechsavvy:

Cheers to the Weekend!

Screencasting on a Chromebook, There's an App for that!

Okay, so my expensive and powerful Apple Macbook Pro needs a new network card of which seems a daunting task at the moment. Replacing a network card on a PC or Linux box would be a breeze …not so much on an all-in-one Macbook Pro.

Living in Saint John NB, Canada there are no Apple Retail Stores or “Genius bars” nearby. Besides with the new series of Mac Laptops and lack of warranty shipping it away doesn’t seem to be a suitable option.

I personally have about 7+ computing devices including the following:

iMac (in storage), Macbook Pro (needs network replacement), iPad 1 (tablet), iPhone 3G (smartphone), PowerPC Mac Mini G4 (Using as Server), Windows 7 PC (Work Computer), Chromebook Samsung Series 5 (mobile stateless cloud computer) , Linux Laptop (Old n Slow Toshiba satellite A70), etc.  

I think it’s a fair statement to say, “I’m a Power User when it comes to using a computer daily”. 

As a user that uses the internet for everything I’m curious to see if I can reply on only Cloud and Open Source software. No I wasn’t one of the luck few that received a Google Chrome Cr-48 or have any Google fanboy mentality. I’m not bias toward Apple or Windows neither.

Google Chrome Nothing Net Challenge

Where my daily computing tasks have me performing on various operating systems and using many different proprietary software I’ve issued a challenge to myself.

Use only a Google Chromebook for Three(3) months for everything computing in my daily life! Only Web Apps & Open Source allowed, I must either find a Cloud Based App available or develop one in order to get the job done.

I will also be screen casting my progress along with blogging about what apps I either created or found to complete each task.

Progress Week 1:

In order to start screen casting on a Chromebook, I required a Cloud Hosting & Web Based process for recording, editing, and publishing my website. I’ve only started the challenge and already the task is becoming challenging due to the lack of efficient screencasting apps available on the Google Chrome Web Store.

The only available app prior to creating my own was an app that lacked any noticeable options for publishing or even uploading to websites like Youtube or Vimeo. This makes the limited selection useless, therefore I’ve found 3 existing suitable websites to complete the task on the fly and submitted apps for them to the Chrome Web Store for others.

There are listed below:

Screenr

http://bit.ly/M5pyHy (shorten url)

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ajmdmhlhifnkjklgeikfdmffiigfoged?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

ScreenCastle

http://bit.ly/L2qPiZ  (shorten url)

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/anlacahaipmkiacbibndkpkocgocgefb?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

screencast-o-matic

http://bit.ly/LtzDYU  (shorten url)

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pieikpjipjhppelgjnaekjomlapbfnjp?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

The next challenge included installing a Java plugin which was taken care of with a Goggle extension called “Rndr”.

Rndr enables you to use Chromebook and the Chrome browser to seamlessly access web applications that require Java, Silverlight, Flash, Shockwave, GoToMeeting and other plugins normally used with Internet Explorer. Rndr takes care of all plugin rendering, converts all content to HTML4 and HTML5, and then presents it seamlessly in Chrome. Once you use Rndr to view a website, future visits to the same website will automatically be handled by Rndr.

Rndr

http://bit.ly/HB4PFA (shorten url)

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/aeanibohjlokjdpopecapcfaacnhdifi

I found some great Google Docs invoice templates and designed them to replace my previous iWork documents. I also abandoned my irc clients like mirc, xchat, and colloquy for mibbit irc Chrome extension along with my own web based irc chat embedded in to this website.

Mibbit

http://bit.ly/N2Eogg (shorten url)

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pohpiiceeffdepjkcikeifcpecegppod?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

Kayol Hope Live! - Web IRC Chat

http://kayolhope.me/cam

IRC bots of course are programmed in various programming languages like python and therefore already control the exiting channels.

iTunes not being an option, I’ve switched to Grooveshark for streaming music without needing to download or sync and can’t see turning back. Seriously, my playlist changes to frequently.

Grooveshark

http://bit.ly/N2EKDv (shorten url)

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/blelaljgakacjdeaggpjilljobdmboff?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

My alternative to iTunes for movies of course is Netflix or torrents via uTorrent for Google Chrome.

Netflix

http://movies.netflix.com

In conclusion:

I’m really excited I found an alternative to do screen casting without being limited to Screen Flow or Camtasia. 

 

shortformblog:

The new Mobile Mindset study, conducted by Harris Interactive, has revealed a great deal of new information about the habits of mobile phone users. Nearly 60% of those surveyed said they don’t go more than an hour without checking their phone, while 73% said they felt a sense of panic if/when their device is lost. The most surprising statistic though, at least to us, were the primary reasons people fear losing their phones — only six percent of those surveyed said they were worried that valuable account information could be stolen, while 38% cited the cost and hassle of replacing the phone.

cnet:

MacBook Melee: The biggest Air takes on the littlest Pro:

The updated versions of both the 13” MacBook Air and the 13” MacBook Pro cost $1,199. So how do they stack up against each other?

Read our full comparison

GoodBye Blogger, Hello Google+

Even though Blogger is being retired for Google+, I never got to try it so I'll sign up and post while I still can. My main site/blog is on Tumblr anyway at http://kayolhope.me

dontholditwrong:

Don’t hold the Samsung Galaxy S III wrong.

cnet:

Apple files patent for iPhone with changeable lenses: 

The patent would cover for a portable electronic device, such as a mobile phone, and would make the device’s back panel removable, allowing users to switch to a different lenses.

In design terms, this would mark a significant departure for the iPhone, since Apple has always shipped its signature device completely sealed.

Instead of switching out the lens, iPhone photography aficionados currently use add-ons to get around the limitation.

The patent may have been part of the late Steve Jobs’ grand plans for making iPhone cameras even more appealing to photographers. Jobs, who was interested in photography himself, envisioned an improved camera in a meeting with Ren Ng, CEO of the photography company Lytro, last year.

Read more