Simkin.Org

Category: Useful stuff

  • Mac Mini Broadcom network issues

    My MAc Mini is getting pretty poor LAN performance since the latest round of Windows 7 updates. Coincidentally, a Dell Optiplex 380 in the office had the same problem. A Maplin USB to Ethernet adapter solved the problem. No idea what Broadcom/Microsoft are doing but the network performance over USB2 was far superior to the onboard GigE RJ45 port.

    **UPDATE**

    After doing a total rebuild of the box, the network is working fine and dandy again. Latest Windows Updates, Bootcamp drivers and it all settled down

  • iphone Screen Grab

    iPhone equivalent of PrtScrn button on your PC:

    Press the top button and hold it. Press the round button. Screen flashes. Release. Look in Photos.

    If you hold the top button too long, it’ll turn off.

  • Airplay for Media Centre

    If you have an iphone, ipod or ipad (I suppose that would be ip* to fans of regular expressions) device, you can use the Airplay feature to stream from your device to your telly. Currently all fans of the software are waiting for an iOS 5 fix but if you want to take a look, pop along to here.

  • Augmented Reality

    Been playing with Layar, an AR app on the iPhone. It has a load of free “layers” that each provide an overlay on top of what your phone camera can see. Most useful for navigating around cities or simply for identifying landmarks. Usefulness will grow as content is added. The benefit there is that anyone can create content and make it available free or at a charge. Download it and have a look. www.layer.com

  • TV Catchup for iphone

    At a recent shindig, a friend told me about http://iphone.tvcatchup.com and I have to admit that being able to watch TV on the iPhone is cool…..

  • My first iPhone App Grab

    So what have I downloaded so far?

    BlogWriter – easy access to this blog

    LinkedIn – Business networking
    Facebook – Social networking
    Bump – contact sharing

    Logmein – remote control my PC
    Telnet – terminal access
    iSSH – secure terminal access
    VNC – server remote control
    Subnet Calc – because it has been years since my CCNA

    Tube Map – A map you can pan and zoom
    National Rail – Train times
    Google Earth – Oooh Ahh!
    Google – latitude, etc
    iMapMyRide – To er.. map my bike riding

    Sky+ – TV listings and remote record
    Links to BBC News and BBC Sport as well…

    iHandyLevel – You never know when you need to straighten something
    Shazam – Find out what that tune is that is playing on the radio
    MonkeySwing – for the kids. Honest!
    Yahtzee Adventures – MY wife told me to get it.

  • Make your own iPhone Ringtones

    It is easy….

    1. Choose your favourite track

    2. Use an audio tool (I use Nero Wave Editor) to cut out no more than 40.00Seconds that you want to use. It may be worth adding a fade-out bit to the last 3 seconds but that is up to you.

    3. Save the file as MP3

    4. Add the file to iTunes

    5. Right-click in iTunes and choose CONVERT TO AAC. (If it says “CONVERT TO MP3”, change your import settings EDIT > PREFERENCES > GENERAL > IMPORT SETTINGS  to be AAC. Remember to switch back to MP3 later…)

    6. Delete the MP3 file from itunes

    7. Locate the AAC file (Right-click, GET INFO, look at the line that stats “where”)

    8. Rename the file from xxx.m4a to xxx.m4r

    9. Remove the entry from itunes (it won’t work now anyway)

    10. Drop the m4r file into the RINGTONES folder

  • Nokia N95 Sportstracker, Google Latitude & ASDA mobile settings

    I like sportstracker. It lets me record by cycle journeys whilst I’m doing them and review my performance or plan the route of my next ride. That’s the theory. In practice, sportstrack captures between 5 to 8 miles and crashes. Today I did 31miles. Sportstracker has a record of the first 5 and the last 15 because I checked it and restarted my phone. It doesn’t just crash the app or reset the phone, it turns the darn thing off. Not ideal.

    One other oddity is that it feels I did a maximum speed of 45.9miles per hour. I was on a bicycle. BICYCLE! My odometer says my max was 31mph which is more believable (there were not any long descents).

    I’m thinking of getting a handlebar mount so I can see when it does crash so I can park up and reset it. I’ll also consider doing a complete reset and rebuild of the phone application load before I next go on a long ride as that may help.

    Google Latitude works well on the N95 by the way. It means loading Google maps when Nokia maps are already loaded. Nokia maps are on the memory card and not downloaded over the wire which is handy when abroad. Google maps and Latitude just go that little bit further and I find it easier to use. Keeping track of my phone’s location over the web is also a neat trick. So I’m keeping them both for now…

    I struggled when I put the ASDA SIM into the N95 beacuse my poor little brain could not convert ASDA settings-speak inot Nokia-speak. Eventually I got there. Here for those that need it are the ASDA settings in Nokia speak:

    ASDA mobile web
    Tools > Settings > Connection > Access Points
    Connection name: ASDA mobile web
    Data bearer: packet data
    Access point name: asdamobiles.co.uk
    user name: web
    prompt password: no
    password: web
    Authenication: normal
    Homepage: http://www.asda-mobile.com/wap
    Options > Advanced settings:
    Network Type: IPv4
    Phone IP address: Automatic
    DNS address: Automatic
    Proxy server address: none
    Proxy port number: 0

    ASDA mobile wap
    Tools > Settings > Connection > Access Points
    Connection name: ASDA mobile wap
    Data bearer: packet data
    Access point name: asdamobiles.co.uk
    user name: web
    prompt password: no
    password: web
    Authenication: normal
    Homepage: http://www.asda-mobile.com/wap
    Options > Advanced settings:
    Network Type: IPv4
    Phone IP address: Automatic
    DNS address: Automatic
    Proxy server address: 212.183.137.12
    Proxy port number: 8799

    ASDA mms
    Tools > Settings > Connection > Access Points
    Connection name: ASDA MMS
    Data bearer: packet data
    Access point name: asdamobiles.co.uk
    user name: wap
    prompt password: no
    password: wap
    Authenication: normal
    Homepage: http://www.asdamobiles.co.uk/servlets/mms
    Options > Advanced settings:
    Network Type: IPv4
    Phone IP address: Automatic
    DNS address: Automatic
    Proxy server address: 212.183.137.12
    Proxy port number: 8799

    Now go to:
    Tools > Settings > Connection > Packet Data
    Packet data connection: when needed
    Access point: ASDA mobile

    Now go to:
    Home > Messaging > Settings > Multimedia Message
    Access point in use: ASDA mms

    Another tip: How to change the shortcut menu icons on the start screen:
    Tools > Settings > General > Personalisation > Standby mode > Active Standby Apps

    I’ve just changed mine to: Phone book, Messaging, Web, Sportstracker, Google maps, Music player

  • Nokia N95 Sportstracker, Google Latitude & ASDA mobile settings

    I like sportstracker. It lets me record by cycle journeys whilst I’m doing them and review my performance or plan the route of my next ride. That’s the theory. In practice, sportstrack captures between 5 to 8 miles and crashes. Today I did 31miles. Sportstracker has a record of the first 5 and the last 15 because I checked it and restarted my phone. It doesn’t just crash the app or reset the phone, it turns the darn thing off. Not ideal.
    One other oddity is that it feels I did a maximum speed of 45.9miles per hour. I was on a bicycle. BICYCLE! My odometer says my max was 31mph which is more believable (there were not any long descents).
    I’m thinking of getting a handlebar mount so I can see when it does crash so I can park up and reset it. I’ll also consider doing a complete reset and rebuild of the phone application load before I next go on a long ride as that may help.
    Google Latitude works well on the N95 by the way. It means loading Google maps when Nokia maps are already loaded. Nokia maps are on the memory card and not downloaded over the wire which is handy when abroad. Google maps and Latitude just go that little bit further and I find it easier to use. Keeping track of my phone’s location over the web is also a neat trick. So I’m keeping them both for now…
    I struggled when I put the ASDA SIM into the N95 beacuse my poor little brain could not convert ASDA settings-speak inot Nokia-speak. Eventually I got there. Here for those that need it are the ASDA settings in Nokia speak:
    ASDA mobile web
    Tools > Settings > Connection > Access Points
    Connection name: ASDA mobile web
    Data bearer: packet data
    Access point name: asdamobiles.co.uk
    user name: web
    prompt password: no
    password: web
    Authenication: normal
    Homepage: http://www.asda-mobile.com/wap
    Options > Advanced settings:
    Network Type: IPv4
    Phone IP address: Automatic
    DNS address: Automatic
    Proxy server address: none
    Proxy port number: 0
    ASDA mobile wap
    Tools > Settings > Connection > Access Points
    Connection name: ASDA mobile wap
    Data bearer: packet data
    Access point name: asdamobiles.co.uk
    user name: web
    prompt password: no
    password: web
    Authenication: normal
    Homepage: http://www.asda-mobile.com/wap
    Options > Advanced settings:
    Network Type: IPv4
    Phone IP address: Automatic
    DNS address: Automatic
    Proxy server address: 212.183.137.12
    Proxy port number: 8799
    ASDA mms
    Tools > Settings > Connection > Access Points
    Connection name: ASDA MMS
    Data bearer: packet data
    Access point name: asdamobiles.co.uk
    user name: wap
    prompt password: no
    password: wap
    Authenication: normal
    Homepage: http://www.asdamobiles.co.uk/servlets/mms
    Options > Advanced settings:
    Network Type: IPv4
    Phone IP address: Automatic
    DNS address: Automatic
    Proxy server address: 212.183.137.12
    Proxy port number: 8799
    Now go to:
    Tools > Settings > Connection > Packet Data
    Packet data connection: when needed
    Access point: ASDA mobile
    Now go to:
    Home > Messaging > Settings > Multimedia Message
    Access point in use: ASDA mms
    Another tip: How to change the shortcut menu icons on the start screen:
    Tools > Settings > General > Personalisation > Standby mode > Active Standby Apps
    I’ve just changed mine to: Phone book, Messaging, Web, Sportstracker, Google maps, Music player

  • Put your stuff on the UK Property Register

     

    After buying a mobile broadband contract for my wife, I was sent details of the UK Property Register. It basically allows anyone to record their portable property that is at risk of left (usually things like mobiles, laptops, bicycles). Once registered it means that the Police can more easily identify your item if it is stolen and you can more easily record it lost or stolen.

    After having two bikes stolen over the last few years, this seems like a very useful free service that everyone should know about. Visit http://www.immobilise.com to sign-up today and let the Police know what is yours.

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