Tablet Wars suspended, prices inflated!

     This is my 2nd attempt to write a blog after some time away from doing so about this particular topic. 1st attempt was done on my new Nexus 7 Tablet but unsuccessfully posted or published so I'm writing another from scratch. Now that we have gone past the frenzy of the x-mas shopping season, the majority of our retail stores have chosen to increase or put back to a normal retail price for most popular mini tablets (7 inch style). The most talked about mini tablets out there are the Kindle Fire HD, Nexus 7, Apple Mini-I-Pad and others like the Archos 8 inch equivalents.  Having been  forced to purchase a mini tablet at this bad time, my selections are many but few meet my particular needs. I had to go through 3 manufacturers of tablets with a local retail store before I finally got one that came close to my requirements but not at all priced attractively.

     I found that the Kindle Fire HD mini tablet was very functional for the most part with fast response times and very well made also the impressive video quality it has but it fell short on two levels. 1st level was they Kindle Fire's customized Android OS interface limiting the owner to their own format only. The other was its inability to properly support the majority of video formats out there including flash, yes I said flash player support lacking. Having the later affect me way too much, the item was returned then came the Archos 80G9 tablet. This tablet was not as fast, constructed more poorly then the Kindle but had a more open Android OS environment. Where it went wrong and why I returned it was because the hardware became defective after only a few days, volume up button stuck when powering up sending user to an unwanted Android diagnostics built in utility and not the normal Android OS. With no other unit to replace it, I returned it and then waited a few weeks before finally deciding on the Nexus 7 tablet. The great features of the Nexus 7 tablet are its made by Asus, processor speeds excellent, built-in RAM high enough to function properly and on board storage of 32GB (not expandable by micro SD cards one minor fault). The only negative was its price, a bit too close at the $300 mark to make it unattractive but still below.

     So should you go out and get your mini tablet now? The answer to that depends on if you can wait because they are not priced to sell right now. You will have to decide whether or not to spend the extra cash for a mini tablet (7inch) or wait later on when the tablet wars restart again in the spring time. If you have to get one, choose it by features like at least 1-Ghtz processor, 512K RAM or more (1MB!), and an open Android OS format with the android play available and not customized or un-liscensed Android versions without the marketplace installed or other features disabled.

TechRant Live #62

Lasted Episode covering various topics, enjoy the video and don't forget to  send commands to my Twitter accounts at @leoperez, @vrpcworld, Goggle+ an doth sites.

ISP Usage and Market Share

ISP Usage and Market Share:

'via Blog this'

Best Buy's False Black tie Service Plans!

     The bridgewater, NJ store of Best Buy's is run by arrogant management representatives, and young Geek squad crew poorly experienced in real repair but apparently well trained in turning away clients when their Black Tie service plans are called into question was my sisters and my experience lately. I always believe in working out issue within the entity in question but this has opened my eyes to an underlying issue that could be the rule and not the exception. When you purchase an extended warranty service of Best Buy's Geek Squad called Black Tie, most people do not question the validity or quality to expect if put into action, that is why most who do so buy this service plan but I can see now it is becoming more of a scam then an actual service.

     

     Just recently my sister tried to have her laptop repaired under the added purchase of the Black Tie service agreement that was purchased with the laptop by me only to find out that Best Buy had refused to cover her product and comply with their own agreements. They had said that the damage to the laptop was under accidental damage (or intentional, same thing to them) and that she would be responsible for the total cost of repair. There was just one problem with that posturing, the laptops hinge assembly that caused the laptops screen to crack falls under the normal wear and tear or manufacturers fault clause not accidental damage which is covered according to their own statements.The fact that the normal user with a laptop has to lift the top portion (screen) in orde to use it does not mean that damage was accidentally caused by her after all would you fault a person from opening a refrigerator to acces his food only to find the door falls off its hinges and damages the door (if you were the Geek squad at Best Buys' you probably would just to get out of the commitment)?

     I tried to contact the main offices through phone, email and other ways to try to resolve issue but nothing yet except for a simple email response asking for original receipt copy when they could look it up quite easily in their systems work order section for repairs. I guess any excuse to delay responding to the customers concerns in a timely fashion or discourage them from perusing it, not in this case this will happen. Like I said I responded and have my fingers crossed that Best Buy's in there infinite business frame of mind does not allow this clearly wrong situation from becoming a thorn on their sides durring this christmas season shopping after all who's going to buy any product from a company that demonstrates that kind of abuse of the customer and the laws that protect consumers from fraud? Lets hope that Best Buy representatives resolve this and any other issue like this quickly and correctly soon. I will keep this issue alive and post any updates as I come across them until it has been resolved, until then take care about your purchases at Best Buy's especially adding any questionable service plans until you know they really do comply.

Best Buy's False Black tie Service Plans!

     The bridgewater, NJ store of Best Buy's is run by arrogant management representatives, and young Geek squad crew poorly experienced in real repair but apparently well trained in turning away clients when their Black Tie service plans are called into question

     My sister tried to have her laptop repaired under the added purchase Black Tie service agreement only to find Best Buy to refuse covering and complying with their own agreement.

     Contacted main offices through phone, email and other ways to try to resolve issue.

When is a Geek a really Geek?

    While listening to one of my many video podcast shows, the topic of geek came up over and over again and it made me wonder what really is a geek today as opposed to the past when it all started. In the past a geek was an enthusiast who explored into a technical topic like electronics using sometimes the cover of repair technician but always at home spending hours and hours exploring and learning, Most geeks of the past in technology had hard times trying to find information to clarify a doubt or learn and being recognized for his or her expertise even though most involved were young curious males.



For many years the geek was a lonely soul forced to travel long distances to find parts, manuals and more sharing mostly in weekly or monthly club local meetingIf the general public saw a "Geek" with his technology like personal computers. The common opinion was they were wasting their time playing with toys, boy has history proven them all wrong especially office workers that had to leave because the typewriters and other old obsolete office equipment was being replaced and they had to learn how to use it or loose their jobs. The educational system throughout the country refused for the most part to hire really experienced geeks to teach their students many aspects related to the personal computers and MAC's (Mainly Mac's due to agreements Apple was lucky to obtain with officials) and many students found themselves being misdirected and not taught properly, only at the home environment had they a chance to really learn if they wanted to. Many of those pioneering Geek's of the past that did the legwork are not rich or famous, only a lucky few today can claim fame and riches. 
There are still true Geek's today but it has become the costume of many in the media to label anyone who can say hard drive a Geek. In the past journalists who wrote about technology now today enjoy the title of Geek or technology wizard and enthusiast and even though they know a lot from years of writing about tech topics, they are NOT a true Geek just because. I don;t think there is a problem saying they are well educated in the topic but the self proclaimed title of geek is wrong and should be talked about not by tech journalists but current geeks and the industry experts that come close to geek-hood. So in conclusion maybe you should start talking and writing about science today and tomorrow you could be by default without the real legwork be proclaim by yourself (what an ego issue) and others that know no better, who knows.

When is a Geek a really Geek?

     While listening to one of my many video podcast shows, the topic of geek came up over and over again and it made me wonder what really is a geek today as opposed to the past when it all started. In the past a geek was an enthusiast who explored into a technical topic like electronics using sometimes the cover of repair technician but always at home spending hours and hours exploring and learning, Most geeks of the past in technology had hard times trying to find information to clarify a doubt or learn and being recognized for his or her expertise even though most involved were young curious males. For many years the geek was a lonely soul forced to travel long distances to find parts, manuals and more sharing mostly in weekly or monthly club local meetings. If the general public saw a "Geek" with his technology like personal computers. The common opinion was they were wasting their time playing with toys, boy has history proven them all wrong especially office workers that had to leave because the typewriters and other old obsolete office equipment was being replaced and they had to learn how to use it or loose their jobs. The educational system throughout the country refused for the most part to hire really experienced geeks to teach their students many aspects related to the personal computers and MAC's (Mainly Mac's due to agreements Apple was lucky to obtain with officials) and many students found themselves being misdirected and not taught properly, only at the home environment had they a chance to really learn if they wanted to. Many of those pioneering Geek's of the past that did the legwork are not rich or famous, only a lucky few today can claim fame and riches. There are still true Geek's today but it has become the costume of many in the media to label anyone who can say hard drive a Geek. In the past journalists who wrote about technology now today enjoy the title of Geek or technology wizard and enthusiast and even though they know a lot from years of writing about tech topics, they are NOT a true Geek just because. I don;t think there is a problem saying they are well educated in the topic but the self proclaimed title of geek is wrong and should be talked about not by tech journalists but current geeks and the industry experts that come close to geekhood. So in conlusion maybe you should start talking and writting about science today and tomorow you could be by default without the real legwork be proclaim by yourself (what an ego issue) and others that know no better, who knows.