Author Topic: Bought any computing stuff today?  (Read 127238 times)

Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #75 on: 10 May, 2013, 02:49:23 pm »
A Logitech tablet keyboard for my iPad. Its cool it comes in a hard plastic case that then folds into am iPad stand. I love Logitech stuff, always works really well.

I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Afasoas

Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #76 on: 20 May, 2013, 02:03:36 am »
That looks really cool. I've never really felt the urge to put a keyboard on my eyeThing. Does it work ergonomically, combination of keyboard and touch?

I've bought a new PC today which should hopefully arrive mid-week. And a nice "professional" monitor too. Should get back to enjoying the photo editing! I'm afraid I didn't feel any compulsion to buy a Mac.

This also means there could be a rather sturdy Asus laptop for sale soon, unless I find another use for it. I feel it's a bit good to throw into a rucksack everyday and possibly a bit too heavy.

It's in excellent condition.
Win 7 Home Premium
Intel Core i3 370M
8 GB Memory
Separate graphics
320 GB HDD
BluRay

Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #77 on: 20 May, 2013, 06:01:40 am »
That looks really cool. I've never really felt the urge to put a keyboard on my eyeThing. Does it work ergonomically, combination of keyboard and touch?

It's a nice keyboard a lot better and less cramped than the ones built into iPAD cases. I didnt want a case one anyway as it makes the iPAD too bulky for handheld use which is what I want it for 90% of the time and I have a laptop as well for writing most stuff on. This just gives me another option for meetings where I dont need to take a laptop but there will be a lot of note taking or for trips where I don't really need a laptop but might have to write things up whilst away, just chuck the keyboard in my bag as well as the iPAD.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #78 on: 22 May, 2013, 07:56:28 pm »
Yeah - I liked the look of one of those Logitek keyboards when seen in a Certain Large Computing Superstore. Instead though I bought a Logitek mouse which is unworking. It was a "non-pristine" item (fact I failed to notice) so had been returned to the store by a previous punter. In spite of re-batterying, it remains US. So Cr*p to that.

I also bought replacement innards for a PC case which has been lying around the house for a bit.  It has a 2.9GHz Intel CPU, ASRock B75 mobo, 8 Gb of Kingston DIMMs, new PSU, optical drive etc and that's more or less it. I'm formatting an HDD for it now with the idea that the PC will be a general purpose machine running Linux. Aim is  to relieve the bottleneck created by my missus writing novels on the other ("my") house PC.  Though I can just imagine the kids, like water, will claim it for their own and watch Cbbc endlessly on it.

I've found the various Linux discussions on here invaluable because I is a Linux virgin.  However, so far I've spent almost as much time with failed Linux OSes as I have with borked Windows implementations. I look forward to a working unbloated OS soon

Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #79 on: 28 May, 2013, 07:12:29 pm »
A new desktop PC from Scan.  All of the PCs I've bought for my own private use over the last few years have been economy options.  The last decent PC I bought personally was probably close to twenty years ago, and was a big Gateway 2000 box.  This one has a reasonably good spec, so should last me a while. :)

It's still one of their "Value" range, a G30i, but has 8G of RAM, a 3.2GHz Core i5 3470, a 256GB SSD and 1TB spinning disc.  Much as I'd like to run Linux, pragmatically Windows 7 Professional is going to be more useful for many of the applications I'll need to use, so that's going on it.

I've got spare keyboards and mice lying around, as well as a couple of old LCD monitors, so I'm sticking with those and not bothering on buying any new ones.

I got the order in yesterday (a Bank Holiday), and Scan have already got it in the post to me, with it hopefully turning up tomorrow. :thumbsup:
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

ian

Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #80 on: 04 June, 2013, 10:12:22 pm »
I'd resisted the iPad keyboard, it seemed to be self-defeating, after all I could just take my MacBook if I wanted to type, but on a few recent trips I've relied pretty much on the iPad. I do write a lot though (you may have noted) and though I'm a dab hand with the on-screen keyboard, it's a bit wearing and it takes up a big chunk of on-screen real estate.

Then I found my wonderful Palm portable wireless keyboard earlier. Ha, happy days. Kids these days don't remember PDAs, and the time when you communicated with distant humans by shouting loudly at them, rather than shouting loudly into a phone. OK, when I say wonderful, it didn't work very well owing to the ropy IR connection (I promise never to say bad things about Bluetooth ever again) but the keyboard itself is excellent and it folds up mini. Shame it's IR but it did encourage me to order a foldable bluetooth keyboard. I'm not struck with the bulky folio type keyboards and the other option was the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover which looked nice, but a bit of a palaver, and I'm quite happy with my current smartcover, so wanted a keyboard that I could just pop in the bag or poket when needed. Bit of an Amazon lucky dip, so it might be shit. There was a review on YouTube but it was in German. Mind you, for a German he sounded pretty pleased. Or he could just have been really angry. I can never tell.

Impressively, along with the keyboard, I found no fewer than three Palm Pilots – the monochrome goodness of a m100, a shiny Tungsten E, and a TX. If I could find a charger, I'd be well on my way down memory lane by now. I have a drawer where technology goes to die. You don't want to know how many portable CD players there are in there, not to mention a small army of Walkmen, and I suspect a minidisc player. I was actually looking for the iPod shuffle. Never did find it.

Wombat

  • Is it supposed to hurt this much?
Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #81 on: 04 June, 2013, 10:53:54 pm »
The shuffle was on the floor outside my office door (thats if it was a gold coloured one)  I also have a drawer of odd things such as iPAQs, which I used to have in my previous job.  Very useful for checking at home, what my work diary was.  Nowadays, with all the advances in technology, I have to guess, or write it on a bit of paper.  Thats progress for you...

I also used to have a couple of Psion 3s, but someone from ths parish now has those.  Lovely keyboards.

I was amused by a non-work colleague who asked how he could use MS office on his iPad.  My other colleague who works for the evil empire of microsoft informed him that they had written it, but never issued it.  I replied that MS office compatible apps were easily obtained for Android devices, at which he took offence and said they were crap. Erm, but it works, and yours doesn't seem to do what you want...  Actually I thought there was an office app for iPads, but he wasn't getting any more help from me after that.  I would have thought he should have bought a little macbook, rather than an iPad?

what have I bought, nowt since the SSD for the netbook, which has made it rather snappier, but I feel an upgrade coming on...
Wombat

ian

Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #82 on: 06 June, 2013, 11:20:34 am »
Nah, my shuffle (well, the wife's) is silver. I'd quite like it for cycling rather than faff with the phone, but owing to it's small nature, it's been elusive for a time now. My wife doesn't actually lose things, but she does some very effective filing.

There's plenty of MS Office compatible apps for the iPad. I don't think MS have finished their own apps, but I have heard it strongly rumoured that they are indeed busily developing them for a 2014 release. Office was designed with a fully powered computer in mind, so scaling them to something useful on a far less powerful tablet is a challenge. Being able to tweak documents and presentations without having to worry about compatibility issues would be good though. They'd probably get my money.

I've  now charged my Palm TX. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it.

tiermat

  • According to Jane, I'm a Unisex SpaceAdmin
Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #83 on: 06 June, 2013, 11:48:56 am »
For less than £20 I have added 128G of storage to my Galaxt Tab!
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State

Maverick

  • One of the rural idle
    • Twoberries
Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #84 on: 22 June, 2013, 08:52:18 pm »
Splashed out on a Dell U2711 27" monitor after years of using cheapo monitors. Wow ;D - Lightroom is just so good on this, photo editing has become a pleasure rather than a eye-sapping grind. I actually enjoy sittng in front of it at the moment as the deskyop cycles through some of my favourite photos.
Screen grab of the desktop -


Dibdib

  • Fat'n'slow
Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #85 on: 26 June, 2013, 04:24:48 pm »
Oooh, shiny. A nice monitor is lovely. I've not-too-long-ago (maybe six months ish) upgraded to a nice 24" widescreen, and it's a world apart from the old 17" 4:3 I used to use. Not having completely knackered colours helps too  :thumbsup:

But this post is actually about my latest purchase, which will hopefully be winging its way to me shortly - a 16gb Google Nexus 7 tablet. I'd avoided the tablet idea for a while because I'm not a huge fan of touchscreens, but I've finally admitted that while I don't want to lug a laptop everywhere sometimes prodding away at an iPhone just isn't good enough.

Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #86 on: 01 October, 2013, 01:00:44 pm »
Picked up a Tesco Hudl 7" tablet (our first).  Seems good; screen is nice 1440x900px, and has a SD card slot.  Managed to get it (with folding case) entirely on Tesco vouchers  - half the value with vouchers + the 2x boost.   :)  Probably going to have to try out the multiple users option, as the mini-aos seem rather keen on it atm.
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #87 on: 06 October, 2013, 04:51:35 pm »
I stood on the corner of my Netbook earlier, and fubared the screen. :(

It was never that good anyway, it had an upper limit of 2G of RAM (I'd already jumped it beyond it's supplied 1G), and that was painfully insufficient with Windows 7.  Windows 7 Starter was just about tolerable.

I've ordered a newer netbook, an Aspire V5-122P, but had to go with Windows 8, since it was very hard to find a Windows 7 netbook (and I resent paying an unreasonably large amount of money to revert to the previous version, which was what the few suppliers seemed to expect).  I can probably live with Windows 8, although every other Windows box I'm using at the moment is Windows 7.  This device also has 6GB of RAM and a 500GB disc, so should work reasonably well.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Dibdib

  • Fat'n'slow
Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #88 on: 07 October, 2013, 07:32:40 pm »
Trying to embrace an ethos of paperless living, today I took delivery of an awesome little Doxie One scanner.

It's so much fun, and so easy to use. Next step is to tackle the filing cabinet full of papers in my spare room...

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #89 on: 07 October, 2013, 08:45:12 pm »
Trying to embrace an ethos of paperless living,

It's fine till you need to go for a poo...

mcshroom

  • Mushroom
Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #90 on: 07 October, 2013, 08:48:57 pm »
Trying to embrace an ethos of paperless living,

It's fine till you need to go for a poo...

bidet?
Climbs like a sprinter, sprints like a climber!

Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #91 on: 07 October, 2013, 09:13:24 pm »
Ordered some CDs some days ago (boring I know) via Amazon and which seem to have disappeared and very definitely not delivered. Strewth.
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #92 on: 08 October, 2013, 08:01:10 am »
Trying to embrace an ethos of paperless living, today I took delivery of an awesome little Doxie One scanner.

It's so much fun, and so easy to use. Next step is to tackle the filing cabinet full of papers in my spare room...

Would be interested to hear your thoughts on this once you've had a proper play with it - I'm currently weighing up whether to go for this or the 'Go' model for myself, also for the purpose of going as paperless as possible.

It's £50 more for the Go, but it does then go up to 600dpi which would be handy for a couple of projects I have planned (archiving family photos and converting into photobooks amongst others).

Also, how are you dealing with the scans? Evernote seems to be a choice of many.
One Man and LEJOG : End-to-End on Two Wheels in Two Weeks (Buy the book; or Kindle it)

Dibdib

  • Fat'n'slow
Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #93 on: 09 October, 2013, 09:16:52 am »
Trying to embrace an ethos of paperless living, today I took delivery of an awesome little Doxie One scanner.

It's so much fun, and so easy to use. Next step is to tackle the filing cabinet full of papers in my spare room...

Would be interested to hear your thoughts on this once you've had a proper play with it - I'm currently weighing up whether to go for this or the 'Go' model for myself, also for the purpose of going as paperless as possible.

It's £50 more for the Go, but it does then go up to 600dpi which would be handy for a couple of projects I have planned (archiving family photos and converting into photobooks amongst others).

Also, how are you dealing with the scans? Evernote seems to be a choice of many.

300dpi's fine for me, and the One can (kind of) work as a Go with the addition of some AAA batteries, so I didn't see the point in spending the extra fifty quid. Instead I spent the money on an Eye-fi card, which I admit I still haven't sorted out.

Yes, Evernote is my destination as I was already using it for some other stuff. I still need to get the OCR magick working so that the PDFs are searchable within Evernote, I'm not sure whether I need an Evernote Premium subscription or whether the Doxie software is supposed to do it...

I'll keep you posted :-)

tiermat

  • According to Jane, I'm a Unisex SpaceAdmin
Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #94 on: 06 November, 2013, 08:53:44 am »
A Dell colour laser MFU for home, and a Archos 101 G9 tablet for TLD for Xmas.
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State

mcshroom

  • Mushroom
Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #95 on: 06 November, 2013, 09:43:33 am »
Yesterday - a kobo touch e-reader. Seems good now I've worked out how to put Gutenberg ebooks on it :)
Climbs like a sprinter, sprints like a climber!

tiermat

  • According to Jane, I'm a Unisex SpaceAdmin
Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #96 on: 06 November, 2013, 10:07:44 am »
Yesterday - a kobo touch e-reader. Seems good now I've worked out how to put Gutenberg ebooks on it :)

They are really good, for the money.

One thing to watch, though, is that occasionally (it has only happened once in 2 years) the whole machine locks up, the only way to fix it is a complete factory reset.  Thankfully the Kobo Library function will easily re-fill the unit.

One other thing that happened was that the Wifi settings became inaccessible.  Again factory reset fixed it.
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State

interzen

  • Venture Altruist
  • Agent Orange
    • interzen.homeunix.org
Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #97 on: 06 November, 2013, 10:16:33 am »
A Beagleboard Black.
Think Raspberry Pi but with a properly open1 architecture and better I/O2.

1 - as opposed to 'mostly open except for the most important bit, getting the specs of which requires you to take it roughly from behind from Broadcom'
2 - more GPIO stuff, plus an ethernet chipset which doesn't share bandwidth with the USB ports.

Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #98 on: 06 November, 2013, 02:16:21 pm »
Trying to embrace an ethos of paperless living,

It's fine till you need to go for a poo...

bidet?
Toto Washlet.
"A woman on a bicycle has all the world before her where to choose; she can go where she will, no man hindering." The Type-Writer Girl, 1897

tiermat

  • According to Jane, I'm a Unisex SpaceAdmin
Re: Bought any computing stuff today?
« Reply #99 on: 20 November, 2013, 08:10:40 am »
Not really, strictly speaking, computing, but I have just ordered a HTC One, a Otterbox Commuter case for same and a Krussel clip cover, again for same.
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State