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Navigon 7210 - a factory reset is a recommended annual event

2010-02-09T11:31:06Z

Yesterday m Navigon 7210 could not find any satellites. Despite several reboots it i not remedy the problem. I eventually resorted to a factory reset and it fixed the issue. The sat nav seems to be responding in a more efficient manner since.

It reminded me that every 2 years or so you need to reformat a PC and install the sw so as to fix any OS issues and streamline its behaviour. The same can be said for Sat Navs. I would recommend an annual factory reset as it will clean out any "gremlins" that might be lurking in the sat nav's operating system.

Apple IPad - Can it usurp e-ink?

2010-01-28T11:05:54Z

The Apple IPad has been launched and the hype reached new levels. Steve Jobs knows how to market and perform a product launch. It is only when the excitement dies down and the Apple Acolytes have returned to their temples to worship at their beautifully designed altars and pews will we figure out if the device is "worth it".

My initial reaction are as follows:

How will it perform outside in sunshine?, e-ink does a great job from a readability point of view
Power management, a e-ink devices such as as the Sony reader and the kindle can be used for a very long time between charges
Will they allow you to read existing e-books, and e-books published from other stores
DRM are we going to see Apple take a similar approach as they did with the Ipod, lock it down first then slowly open it up
I can see why news papers like it you could sign up via itunes to get your daily news paper or monthly magazine subscription.

So the I am still skeptical and will probably wait 2 - 3 years for the features and technology to stabilise and the prices to drop.

Internet streaming televisions - we are nearly there...

2010-01-22T14:29:09Z

I have a simple vision. We want to watch RTE's player on our television in the living room. You can buy televisions with DLNA capabilities and you can buy other televisions that have yahoo widget support. But at the moment you can't buy a television with a web browser built in.

I suspect the current early 2010 solution is to buy a small PC to connect to a HDMI port on the TV. Moving this hardware into the television is only a small and simple step, but I think we will have to wait another year.

Control your appliance using FM radio

2010-01-16T08:36:24Z

There is nothing new in Ireland about controlling smart appliances using GSM and Internet Technology. This technology allows the home owner to switch on or off appliances such as heating, washing machines etc.

A new technology being tested in Canada utilises FM radio the Canadian national broadcaster has partenered with the Toronto based company e-Radio Inc The data is delivered over an FM sub channel.

The attractive feature of this technology is the fact that FM radio is widely available and cover geographic areas where internet access may not be available. Low tech had a way of becoming the best tech.

Will mobile phone size projectors be the new surprise technology of CES

2010-01-15T10:38:12Z

If you were to tell me that a pico projector that uses laser technology and is the size of a mobile phone will be incorporated into all mobile phones and laptops by 2015. I would probably have a hard job believing you.

Reuters reported a company called Microvision were demoing their pico projector at CES, Texas instruments also had some commercial devices with a dedicated mini projector embedded into them including two phones from Samsung.

Potential apps for this technology include digital cameras for enthralling your friends with your holiday snaps, smart phones for watching videos, youtube etc, laptops for business executives.

also , has its pico projectors embedded in several commercial devices including dedicated mini-projectors and two phones from Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, the latest of which was demonstrated at CES.

Justin King DADGAD guitar playing at a whole new level

2010-01-13T13:54:37Z

I did a search on youtube lately for DADGAD examples of music, came across someone covering a Justin King track. This led me to this, which is amazing, humbling and inspiring.

The cold irish winter of 2009 -2010

2010-01-12T18:51:14Z

We are experiencing a cold prolonged winter spell that reaches back as far as 1963 from a historical record beating point of view, As you can see above the weather station recorded lows of -9.6 degrees Celsius. When the wind chill was factored in this brought it down to -13.2 Celsius. Several of my neighbours have no water due to frozen pipes, we are fortunate that our have not frozen yet.

The 45 cm of insulation in the rafters and the 10 cm under the pitch of the roof as well as the filled cavity are doing their part to reduced the chilling effects. There is no easy fix for the state of the roads.

The evolution of the television - now we are connected to the internet

2009-12-15T16:16:28Z

Up until now we had to worry about if the TV was 1080p i.e. High Def. Now we have to consider LED tech and if the TV has its own built in web browser or is it just a glorified media client that will only connect to a select few websites. The demand for network over power lines adapters is going to soar we demand jitter free network performance. Companies such as Sony and LG are releasing new products which have this technology. I am waiting for one that will not tie me down to a certain source or streaming media server

Anna Ternheim - I'll follow you tonight

2009-12-04T14:07:13Z

I was introduced to Anna Terheim's music 5 years ago. Her music is simple but complex in its arrangement. When I hear Lisa Hannigan sing I am reminded of Anna's voice and music.

I am still waiting for her to play in Ireland !!!

Irish Times newspaper launches a mobile edition

2009-12-04T10:35:08Z

The irish times news paper have today launched a mobile edition of their online website http://www.irishtimes.com. The website can be accessed on a mobile phone using the address m.irishtimes.com

"In addition to a full breaking news service that is updated daily, the mobile site provides highlights from each day's newspaper. Some of our readers' favourite functions, such as most read stories and weather, are also included."

I have just accessed the mobile version using a Nokia E51 and was impressed with the speed of loading and the simple but intuitive interface.

Muppet's version of Bohemian Rapsody

2009-11-25T14:51:30Z

I grew up watching the muppet show on television. Their version of Bohemian Rapsody is a classic.

Hurling in the HIlls DVD launch poster

2009-11-12T11:43:53Z

You can download the poster and display it in your locality by clicking on this link and printing the first page.

Upperchurch Drombane GAA Poster.pdf

A change in the networking landscape - HP to buy 3Com for 3.1 Billion

2009-11-12T09:56:20Z

The news that HP is to buy 3Com for 3.1 Billion implies a seismic shift in the networking landscape. Cisco will now have to start looking over their shoulders.

This acquisition has the potential to introduce a serious competitor to the lucrative public sector and corporative markets. Bob Metcalfe who worked in PARC and assisted in the development of Ethernet founded 3COM.

Time will tell if this purchase was worth the money.

Upperchurch Hill Walking festival enjoys lovely weather on it's Sunday walks

2009-11-09T15:47:47Z

The weather was kinder to us on Sunday the 8th of November 2009. The sky was clear and the sun was shining for our ascent of Knockalough as part of the Upperchurch Hill Walking Festival, The photo above was taken half way up Knockalough

Hurling in the Hills DVD - Facebook page now active

2009-11-09T14:38:29Z

The Hurling in the Hills DVD now has a facebook page. http://www/facebook.com/hurlinginthehills

You can pre-order the DVD at www.hurlinginthehills.com. The DVD goes on sale at the launch in Murray's bar on Friday Nov 27th 2209, it will be launched by the President of GAA Christy Cooney.

Hurling in the Hills on Facebook Hurling in the Hills

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