Unsolicited Questions: Why does the hotel Wi-Fi keep dropping my connection? Part 2

Continued from Unsolicited Questions: Why does the hotel Wi-Fi keep dropping my connection? Part 1

Linux users rejoice

There's little doubt iOS and Android will be subject to the timout limitations set by the hotel Wi-Fi. There's really no workaround unless you have access to the router and can configure the settings properly (most Southeast Asian hotels are equipped with either a TP-Link or Linksys and the odd Westell).

An observation that may or may not surprise Linux users is that a standard recent Linux distribution doesn't get kicked off as quickly from a public Wi-Fi network and may even save the user the hassle of having to log in to the hotel Wi-Fi page. In fact, my openSUSE 12.1 KDE machine didn't get disconnected at all in three separate network environments whereas an iPad or iPod would get disconnected every 10-20 minutes or so. Moreover, after logging in to a hotel Wi-Fi the first time, Linux network managers will ensure you won't have to visit the log in page again (while iOS will actually prompt you if you get disconnected, switch off your wireless or connect to another public network). In anecdotal evidence, Windows surprisingly performs better than MacOSX at maintaining third-party network authentication.




Then again, I wonder why tourists gripe about Wi-Fi at all or bother the front desk staff (who probably can't contact the offsite tech guy anyway). It's a vacation! There are plenty of better stuff to do than tweet or post a Facebook pic of the fish you just ate.

Bonus Tip

Kuala Lumpur International's budget terminal, McDonald's and a few public places in Hong Kong place a specific time limit for Wi-Fi access. Most now offer a generous 3 hour limit while others limit access to an hour or 2 hours at most.

If you're that desperate about Internet access (or suffer from Internet addiction), don't worry about places which have a specific Wi-Fi time limit. Just surf with one device until you hit the time limit and then switch to a different device, say your girlfriend or boyfriend's tablet or smartphone. Most public Wi-Fi limits are designed to "recognize" and "remember" MAC addresses, the unique hardware identifier of a network chip. Most people have more than one Wi-Fi capable device so if you're not bored with the Internet when you hit the limit, just switch to your laptop or tablet.

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Unsolicited Questions: Why does the hotel Wi-Fi keep dropping my connection? Part 1

Category: Tech Today

So you booked your affordable but fantastic hotel at Agoda and headed off to paradise. Your hotel has free Wi-Fi in the lobby, lounge and in your hotel room. You decided you didn't need Ethernet anyway. After a rugged day at the beach or in the mountains you log in using the complementary username and password the receptionist gave you. After connecting to the network using your Android or iOS device, you browse the Internet for maybe 15 fifteen minutes and then you get disconnected. Undaunted, you pull up the hotel home page again and log back in. After awhile, the same thing happens and you're ready to scream bloody murder.

I raise my eyebrow whenever some obese Midwesterner is going bat ape in the hotel corridor, at the receptionist or in the columns of Tripadvisor about their hotel's wireless connection. First, high-end hotels won't have that issue (more on this later). You get what you paid for. Second, it's just the Internet. You won't die from Facebook or Twitter withdrawal.

Hotel Wireless Setup

Why does the free hotel Wi-Fi drop and ask you to log in using your hotel username and password again and again? Obviously, this doesn't happen with all hotels. It actually depends on the network administrator and his knowledge of mobile devices. A disciplined and knowledgeable network admin for a hotel will make a compromise between speed, bandwidth and access. Some admins configure the timeout value of wireless connections to prevent users from hogging the Internet or worst downloading or streaming heavily at the hotel. I've actually spoken to a kid at the lobby who said he was downloading torrents while he was staying at a hotel.

Moreover, Android and iOS are gluttons for network access. Eight years ago, most people didn't have a wireless device. Now everyone has a mobile device. Worst, Google/Apple applications are designed to connect regularly to their respective servers whether it's to connect to the Apple store to update applications or check mailboxes in Gmail. Add other bandwidth hungry hogging apps and undisciplined browsing by most tourists and you have a stressed hotel Wi-Fi administrator. The administrator sets the timeout such that as long as a specific application (e.g. the browser) is left idle or specific applications are running at the same time, the mobile device will be disconnected, forcing the user to have to type in his hotel Wi-Fi username and password again. Admins can also configure specific parameters such as the number of applications running and the maximum simultaneous streams active for each network client.

Continued in Unsolicited Questions: Why does the hotel Wi-Fi keep dropping my connection? Part 2

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Displays Everywhere

Category: Tech Today

Hundreds of professions involve working with two (or even more monitors). One manager I know swears she's more productive with 2 monitors and most home users who spend too much time in front of a computer "multi-tasking" (i.e. porn, gaming, Skype, surfing and Facebook) love having multiple displays. I've certainly experienced the advantages of multiple computers/displays in some of the companies I've worked with. The display size or what geeks call "screen real estate" really helps when managing multiple windows - an advantage netbooks and even desktop replacement portables don't have. But if you're working on 3 different machines, do the different display sizes really matter? For the last couple of years, I've been working simultaneously with a 17" 1440x900 iMac display, a 19" WXGA monitor for Windows, and occasionally an 11" Linux-powered netbook. Recently, the IT department gave me a Windows 8 workstation with better hardware and a 24.1" 1920x1200 P-IPS monitor to add to my already overloaded worktable.

I have mixed feelings about the monitor size upgrade - I'm not sure I'm happy about spending 9-10 hours with the darn monster.

Now, I can hear the gamers and hardware enthusiasts comment "That's peanuts." I'm fully aware that in the gaming world, devotees have mutated up to a point that they need gigantic LED or plasma screens to get the full experience of shooting down their enemies or ogling at digitally designed breasts. I don't like the idea of having a huge IPS display staring back at me while I work because I'm worried about the damage it would do to my eyesight. When another editor got his display upgraded, she muttered that now it's easier for people to notice he's browsing non-work related sites.

Size matters?

When it comes to displays, is bigger any better? Apple is receiving some flak for not increasing the size of their iPhone display. Nokia is gearing up to release a huge Lumia while Samsung, LG and HTC have already changed the standard display size expected from smartphones and "phablets".

Dick Tracy's wrist communicator didn't need a display. Screenshot from Dick Tracy, 1951

Smart watches are coming and I can't help but feel that the display size will have a hand in its success or failure. When the iPod Nano with the miniature touchscreen was released, it underwhelmed and since then I've never seen anyone toting one. At the moment, though, I can't see myself buying another device with a display - I'm drowning in my 6", 9.2", 13.3", 24.1", 11" and 3.5" displays. I even left out my Nokia E63, which doesn't even deserve to be listed due to its conservative 2.3" LED screen. As I sit here and type this article on a desktop display that's wider than my chest, I recall the day I bought a Sharp scientific calculator in grade school and marveled at how many equations and functions could fit on that single line of seven-segment LCD display.

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Tech Flashback: The Lethal Weapon series 1987 - 1998 Part 3

Category: Tech Today

Continued from Tech Flashback: The Lethal Weapon series 1987 - 1998 Part 2

In this series of articles, we continue our look at how technology is touched on by an unlikely movie franchise: the Lethal Weapon series.

Lethal Weapon 3 was released in 1992, so it's not surprising when Rene Russo's Internal Affairs character boots up to a green screen computer to tap into a text-only database. Russo's Lorna Cole uses a NEC IBM PC compatible machine, a desktop model which was already available in most government offices by the late 1980s. Banks and health insurance companies used a similar database than the one briefly shown in Lethal Weapon 3 and the text-based interface did not evolve much even after the arrival of "Wintel" systems. The commands and interface used in the database were not nearly as simple as the ones shown in the film and it was very easy to get lost in the maze of screens and commands you can use (I was working with a similar interface for a bank back in the day).


Screencap from Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)



Two PC's are visible in this scene with Lorna and Riggs.
Screencap from Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)

Jack Travis, the film's antagonist, remarks "The world of computers" when asked how he was able to find out the location of the firearms stored in the police department's supply room. Unlike future cop films, no movie "hacking" was required nor the presence of a now-formulaic genius hacker character. Travis was only able to access the police department database because he was an ex-cop. Although this is a small plot point in Lethal Weapon 3, this proved the movie was ahead of its time and was more authentic than later movies in depicting the role of computers (a less believable and contrived use of this plot device was used in Will Smith's Bad Boys in 1995)

As a footnote, the police force in the movie Basic Instinct (1992), makes use of pretty much the same IBM clone to research Sharon Stone's and Jeanne Tripplehorn's psychotic characters though a bit of cinema magic was used to embellish the police records. Some early episodes of MacGyver (1985-1992), in contrast, featured a more diverse set of machines including Amiga, Commodore, IBM, and early Apple computers.


Screencap from Basic Instinct (1992)



Screencap from Basic Instinct (1992)

Three Stooges

When Lorna and Riggs head back to her apartment, Riggs playfully messes with Lorna's home PC. The desktop wakes up to Cinemaware's classic The Three Stooges game, which was then available on Apple, MS-DOS and Amiga. The cameo appearance by the video game was a not too subtle hint of the similarities between Lorna and Riggs. The Three Stooges game was released in 1987, the same year the first Lethal Weapon was released. The Three Stooges, of course, was referred to regularly in the first three Lethal Weapon movies with Riggs watching classic videos with his dog and poking many of the criminals (and even a director) in the eye to annoy them.




Riggs also displays his ignorance of computers by commenting that the PC is heavy when he was actually trying to lift the CRT monitor. To be fair, those early tubes were extremely heavy despite sporting a small screen by today's standards.

Videotape (again)

Lethal Weapon 3 continues with the tradition of using a videocasette tape as a necessary tool in identifying and catching the antagonist. Rene Russo's character Lorna Cole picks up the security footage from the interrogation room and through the recordings is able to identify the corrupt and vicious policeman, Jack Travis. Today's online video sites and file sharing could substitute for the VHS sex tape Roger Murtaugh finds in Lethal Weapon. The home video Murtaugh watches could have been recorded with a High-definition digital camera or DSLR if Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) was filmed today. However, in Lethal Weapon 3, web cameras set up with DDNS on a network is a more realistic approach than the clunky (and wasteful) video cameras used by Sgt. Lorna Cole to catch Jack Travis in the act of murder.

The Oddball

Lethal Weapon 3 was an unnecessary sequel to the excellent Lethal Weapon 2, which tied up all the plotlines of Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson), introduced and said goodbye to Leo Getz (Joe Pesci), and hinted at the retirement of Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover). However, the filmmakers, bolstered by the incredible reception of Lethal Weapon 2, decided to gather up the cast, including the now-popular Joe Pesci and added the lovely Rene Russo as Riggs' new love interest, who may not have had Patsy Kensit's sex appeal but was equally attractive and funnier. The third movie in the series is an oddball because it can stand on its own independently from the other movies in the franchise with no references to Rika (Patsy Kensit) and Riggs' wife. Lethal Weapon 3 does, however, make a passing reference to events in the second movie through Leo Getz's new job as real estate agent (the nail gun incident and the explosion in the toilet). We also get to see Riggs fixing his dislocated shoulder, a skill he displayed prominently in Lethal Weapon 2. 

Lethal Weapon 3, however, does score as having the most realistic plot of the franchise. Although decidedly less edgy and violent as the first two movies, the plot involving "cop-killers" and firearms is well thought out and timely considering how many people are killed daily in the U.S. because of ignorant and irresponsible gun owners. Mel Gibson was at the height of his popularity at the time Lethal Weapon 2 and 3 was released, with Wizard magazine even suggesting he would make a great Wolverine. The filmmakers also punched up the soundtrack by opening the title sequence with the incredible track "It's Probably Me" by Sting, Eric Clapton and saxophonist David Sanborn and also includes a memorable track from BoyzIIMen's debut album during the funeral scene ("It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday").

Lethal Weapon 3 was a lighthearted buddy-cop comedy made extremely entertaining by the incredibly real friendship between Murtaugh and Riggs. It could have been a great end to the franchise in a way the sequel wasn't, but the filmmakers opted instead to sell out and release a fourth somewhat half-hearted Lethal Weapon 4.

Concluded in Tech Flashback: The Lethal Weapon series 1987 - 1998 Part 4

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Interesting Distractions to Follow on the Internet

Category: Tech Today

This site's author has been busy scratching his head and applauding the following:

1. SteamOS - There's regular Linux gaming coverage on the Linux Action Show and though I admit I'm not a gamer, it's great to see Linux penetrate mainstream users through the path of least resistance. The last video game I played was Mega Man X (1993) and the original Quake (1996) on a PC, so I'm regularly amazed by how far gaming consoles and PC gaming have gone. However, I'm actually more interested in SteamOS as a platform for productivity. Will SteamOS' focus on gaming help users unconsciously switch to Linux for everyday tasks as well?

2. Twerking -  I freely admit I had no idea what twerking was until the lovely Miley Cyrus ended up on the news for her VMA performance. Believe me, worst things happened on TV in the 80s. With bad news about Africa, India, Pakistan and Syria flowing incessantly on the web, the word "twerking" is still surprisingly hitting the search engines and news sites pretty often.


Uhm...I think Peter should stick to Thwipping rather than Twerking.
Screencap from Spider-Man 3 (2007)


3. iPhone 5C/5S and iOS7, new iMacs, Surface Pro 2/Surface 2, Kindle Fire HDX and more amazing products I won't be able to buy - The Kindle Fire HDX looks great and I'd love to get one if I actually had time, money and access to Amazon's entertainment ecosystem. Apple has another set of hits on their hands with some serious hardware upgrades to their iMacs but I'm actually more interested in the Surface Pro 2, which immediately received ridiculously ignorant comments from "industry" writers (Forbes, Reuters, Motley Fool etc.).


A commuter reads a story on her Amazon Kindle in Line 1, Shanghai.


Look guys, just because you love tablets and Apple it doesn't mean serious IT professionals and enterprise customers won't appreciate Microsoft's efforts to build a functional and beautiful device . The PC landscape is slowly changing and Microsoft is attempting to evolve with it. Why is it that "industry experts" and reviewers  (these are the same "industry" writers who don't know anything about Linux) think that all products are designed specifically with them in mind (oh, the arrogance and hubris)? They leave out students, teachers, real IT professionals, digital artists, workers and several dozen other markets they no zilch about. Not everyone needs a tablet or smartphone or an Apple device. I was very happy to see there were supporters for the Surface when news hit the Internet. Despite my devotion to Linux, I'd love to have one myself.

As for iOS7 and the new iPhones, I'm sure Apple will iron out the software bugs people are complaining about and provide a healthy supply of Gold iPhones for the pathetic and desperate worshipers. 

4. Marvel and DC everywhere - I'm happy for Marvel and DC's recent success in film, digital comics, TV and everywhere else. Back when Bucky was still dead and Peter Parker (the original and real Spidey) was the lovable Donald Duck/Bugs Bunny of the Marvel Universe, us real fans were waiting for decent films and possibly a great Marvel cartoon/ TV show. With DC making strong inroads back to popularity with Arrow, Man of Steel and Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (plus an upcoming show about Gotham City), could this be a new golden age of comic book characters and stories?

On the other hand, I absolutely hate the garbage current Marvel writers are publishing month in and mouth out. The Spider-Man and X-Men books in particular are worth less than used toilet paper (digital and all that). It's easier to like DC's new 52 if you were a Marvel Zombie from the old days because you aren't invested so much in the beloved characters and classic tales of Walt Simonson, Chris Claremont, Jack Kirby, Doug Moench, Stan Lee and Roger Stern.


Thor was intelligent, kind and badass back in the 70s and 80s but current character regression and grossly ignorant Marvel writers have ruined the character. Scan from Thor #303 (1981)


5. Feedbooks - Even with the popularity of period TV shows and movie such as Downton Abbey and updated versions of Sherlock Holmes, I'm always surprised people still stick to reading contemporary books such as the Twilight series, Fifty Shades of Grey, Hunger Games and the Game of Thrones series. There are plenty of online sources for public domain books where books by classic writers such as Arthur Conan Doyle, Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Guy de Maupessant are freely available. Their books are exceptionally well-written and it's amazing how much content is imitated from their stories. Other books by lesser known authors such as Earl Diggers (Charlie Chan series), Sax Rohmer (Tales of Chinatown), Maurice LeBlanc (Lupin series), Henry Haggard (Allan Quartermain series) and Howard Pyle (Robin Hood) are also worth reading and their stories are original, immensely entertaining and not as self-indulgent, commercialized and narcissistic as the books published today.

I'm currently visiting Feedbooks regularly for my free Public Domain ebooks. One of the advantages of downloading from Feedbooks is that their EPUBs make use of a specific template so all their books are nicely laid out in sections with a consistent design. Typesetting is judiciously arranged and unlike books from Google or Gutenberg, the books are not encumbered with the long disclaimer and publishing information at the beginning and end of the book. I've recently finished the brilliant Moonstone by Wilkie Collins and I'm looking forward to more collections from the suspense and mysteries section of their site.

Feedbooks also has a great list of books from independent writers and for those interested in erotica, there's plenty of previews and interesting excerpts available.

Postscript: Most uninteresting, inane and boring event? Yahoo's new logo.

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Quick Accessory Review: Golla Digital Camera Bag (Small)

Category: Tech Today

There were literally dozens of affordable nice leather sling bags with plenty of room for my ILC, netbook, backup Canon digital camera and iPad in Chinese online shopping sites such as Jingdong Mall and Yihaodian. I was ready to retire my beloved Indiana Jones-esque satchel for a more elegant bag. Unfortunately, I was severely limited by my 200RMB gift card, which was only valid for specific products on the aforementioned Yihaodian website. When I decided on the digital camera bag for my Sony NEX-3NL camera, I was thus aiming for availability and price rather than brand or design.

When you're in China, you either buy only branded stuff or learn to recognize quality over brand name. I learned to trust Chinese brands unheard of in the West - some exceed the quality of branded products for a much lesser price. After considerable assistance from my Chinese co-workers, the only valid products I could purchase with my gift card were a generic roomy black laptop backpack or a small Golla camera bag. I opted for the Golla camera bag without knowing that Golla was a Finnish brand that distributed their products all over the world and are even available in Amazon.com.




The 156 RMB black Golla bag was shipped the next day along with a 29 RMB digital camera cleaning kit that I chucked in to make full use of the 200RMB amount. The Golla bag was nice and sturdy and I was especially happy with the inner lining, which felt stiffer than some of the cheaper digital camera bags I saw in retailers such as Decathlon. Although I was practically getting the bag for free, I felt the 156 RMB price tag was a bit too much especially after I found out it was much smaller than I thought it would be. My Sony NEX-3NL camera fits perfectly inside the bag but not much else. There's a small "pocket" in the back but couldn't even hold the Sony power plug, much less my iPod Touch. I could, however, fit the USB cable and battery inside the pocket if I tried hard enough. The material of the Golla Bag wasn't waterproof but the fabric is the type that really doesn't absorb water very well.



The Golla small digital camera bag was even smaller than my 6" Sony PRS-600 ereader.



My iPod Touch fit only halfway inside the rear pocket.


More than anything else, I was probably paying for the brand name (which I wasn't aware of until I visited their website) than for any useful feature. However, having watched tourists and photography enthusiasts grapple with huge DSLR bags or purchase expensive Crumpler and branded "digital" bags, the small Golla bag actually might be an advantage during my travels. Still, I wish it had room for at least my passport or ticket.

 

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Personal Case Study: Upgrading to a better device Part ‏2

Continued from Personal Case Study: Upgrading to a better device Part 1

Case #2 Creative Zen 2GB with SD card to an Apple iPod Touch 32GB

Category: MP3 Player

Predecessor: Do I hear a groan? Although I'm aware that many consider a dedicated MP3 player obsolete, the iPod Touch is indispensable if you don't own a smartphone and my Creative Zen, which I purchased in 2009, hasn't aged a bit - battery and all. The first MP3 player I ever bought was a Samsung Yepp with 512MB of storage and a Line Out connector that can be used for storage. The Yepp eventually devolved to just a USB flash device so after a brief time using a Sony Ericsson phone as an MP3 player, I purchased a 2GB Creative Zen for studying Chinese, Japanese and French.

Performance Difference: I don't need a smartphone just yet and don't own one but I do need my iPod Touch. In short, I don't have enough superlatives to describe my iPod Touch and its uses even though the Gen 4 iPod Touch is significantly slower than most devices today and comes with all the problems associated with iOS.  However, there's something to be said about a dedicated, indestructible MP3 player which doesn't have the distractions of apps - that's why I still have the Creative Zen around.

Current Usage: Creative has discontinued the version of Zen I own, but I'd gladly buy another one this minute just for its mechanical button and impervious plastic build. The darn thing is tougher than Iron Man's armor. Even after more than four years of intensive use, the battery is still exceptional. It's still in use every night - and still plays Chinese, Japanese, and French audio lessons like a champ. Touch screens may be standard today but for audiolingual studies, nothing beats a physical button.

Future Upgrade: Considering how resilient both the iPod Touch and Creative Zen are despite the amount of abuse it receives from its owner, I doubt if I'll upgrade to a dedicated new MP3 player soon. However, if either of the devices finally fail, I'll just get the same product and the same brand.

Continued in Personal Case Study: Upgrading to a better device Part 3

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The new iPhones and resellers in Minhang, Shanghai

Category: Tech Today

I was listening to my daily dose of BBC news using my 4th-generation iPod while strolling around Parkson in Minhang, Shanghai. Both the BBC World Update: Daily Commute and BBC Global News podcasts confirmed what I had already read on news sources such as Reuters and CNN.com - the queues for the new "cheap" iPhones and the gold flagship Apple smartphone in UK, China, and in the US were long and it seemed Apple once again struck a homerun. I laughed out loud when I listened/read about the excitement of Apple fans who lined up for the new phone and felt disgruntled at the poor treatment towards the homeless people left unpaid by wealthy businessmen who used them as proxy. C'mon guys, now that's just mean. Even comic book geeks have the courtesy to wait in line for hours just for a 4-minute preview of an upcoming Marvel movie. If you wealthy corporate raiders want an iPhone so urgently go leave your cushy offices and line up like every other Apple worshiper.




Wall Street is inconsistent with their outlook for Apple shares but I have little doubt Apple is going to stick their tongue out at all the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy users and gain even a greater following than ever before. Their brand and the quality of their products are too strong for them to fail despite the unremarkable release of their latest iPhone. Now, from a technical point of view I think iPhones are great. I enjoy the Apple ecosystem with my iPad 2 and iPod and I'm currently waiting to experiment with iOS 7 once the hullabaloo is over. However, I'll be the first one to say iPhones are not for me (I'm looking at a Lumia Windows Phone instead).

There are two authorized Apple resellers in Parkson, Minhang and I was expecting them to be as busy as the Apple Store in East Nanjing Road. Apple had timed their product release perfectly in China, coinciding with the Chinese Mid-Autumn holiday. However, the two big EBTs and another Apple reseller were empty. In fact, in the larger store there were only three kids playing with iPad Minis and one person tinkering with the Macbook Pro. I quickly got my hands on the grey iPhone 5S, which felt like any other iPhone I've played with.  It felt good trying it out though since it's so different from my old iPod, the newer Windows Phones and Android devices I've had a chance to tinker with. I also got a feel for the iPhone 5C (the yellow one) and it felt exactly what I expected it to be. Apple's "cheaper" product felt heavier and more solid than most Lumia phones. However, it also looked as cheap and kitschy as the plastic casing on the immensely more affordable (but competent) Nokia Lumia 720 and 625. If Apple users were honest with themselves, they would probably realize they don't need this new phone (most people have perfectly good smartphones). On the flip side, the obsession for something "new" and something tagged with an Apple logo can be a pretty strong, irrational argument to spend money. 




I spent a few minutes with the new iPhones and as expected wasn't really all that thrilled with the fingerprint sensor and iOS 7 tweaks (weeks of reading articles and reviews about iOS7 can do that to you). And then I went over and lovingly touched the Macbook Air and Macbook Pro, two devices which I feel deserve the attention and disposable income more than the in-demand gold iPhone 5S.

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Sony PlayMemories Home and the Sony NEX-3NL Part 1

Category: Tech Today

In the old days when inkjet printers were popular, Canon and Epson loaded their driver CDs with various creative tools to encourage users to print more (and buy more inkjet cartridges). Having migrated over to Linux a long, long time ago, I was actually curious as to what kind of OEM value-add software digital camera manufacturers like Sony provide to their users. PlayMemories Home, designed for Sony NEX cameras, can be downloaded for free from the Sony website. The NEX camera will actually remind users to download the optional software once the Sony camera is plugged into a Windows machine. PlayMemories, like most OEM software these days, is truly optional and isn't even packaged with the NEX camera. Moreover, there are no issues plugging a Sony NEX-3NL to a Windows, Mac, or Linux machine. Windows 7 and Windows 8 actually treats the NEX camera as a mass storage device by default, detecting any memory cards and internal storage the device may have. MacOSX and Linux, of course, will treat the camera and storage as available mounts.



 
I've already discussed the other Windows-only software Sony provides for converting and editing Sony RAW (.ARW) photos and concluded that the Image Data Converter is actually useful for those without professional photo-editing tools or are new to RAW (like me). PlayMemories software, on the other hand, is just value-add for the Sony NEX series of cameras since Image Data Converter already handles most photography-related tasks.

Verify

Sony has a clever way of preventing non-NEX users from downloading the PlayMemories application. First, you would actually need to have the camera connected and powered on to begin installation. Second, you would need to be online to install the software and verify that you are actually a Sony NEX user. I actually didn't find this intrusive. In fact, I like that Sony is taking care to prevent others from using their software. Of course, some may reason that it's a bit over the top in this day and age of free mobile apps, Android, and online stores. In truth, I actually found myself thinking how backward the whole software installation process is compared to the 1-minute installation of mobile apps. Even as a Linux user, where software package managers are the heart of a Linux distribution, I had a sinking feeling that the future no longer lies in installing software of any sort. I'm pretty old-fashioned, but I'm beginning to understand why kids are beginning to prefer smartphones and tablets over desktops and laptops. I actually felt a chill of impending doom for desktop applications as PlayMemories was downloaded and installed on my Windows 7 Ideapad.




There is nothing remarkable about the PlayMemories installation. I advise users to uncheck the Import with PlayMemories Home when a device is connected at the end of the setup process though. If you leave it unchecked, any storage device, including ereaders and SD cards will trigger a PlayMemories Import Media message. Also, take note that there are two parts to installation - the installation of the software and the initial setup. Finally, PlayMemories will add a Startup item to Windows which really doesn't affect boot up process (some Windows users are pretty diligent about that sort of thing).
 

Tools and Interface

 
The Sony software developers wrote a pretty nice-looking desktop application that fits very well in Windows 7 or a touch-screen enabled device running Windows 8. The buttons are big and the steps are straightforward. PlayMemories Home is a great example of an unpretentious desktop utility - a far cry from OEM software back in the day that was too colorful and littered with unnecessary animation. Tasks such as viewing photos and switching to the different calendar views were fast and seamless even on my somewhat aged Lenovo Ideapad.



 
For longtime users of consumer multimedia applications, there are no distinguishing features in PlayMemories Home. There's the usual options to sort, tag and rotate media files as well as the different time views (year, month, day). For users who regularly record videos using their NEX cameras, they can create a timeline of their videos. Users who focus on photography can order prints, e-mail photos, create backup or multimedia disks, and execute basic photo-editing tasks. There's also a map view for cameras with GPS (my NEX-3NL didn't have that feature). Finally, there's the option to share photos and videos to several online services. I was actually surprised I was able to use the Share tool to upload photos to Picasa Web Albums considering that I'm currently in China where most Google services are blocked.



 
The tools found in PlayMemories Home are all very easy to use and nicely laid out but most of the tools are already found on a basic Windows 7/Windows 8 machine. There's a reason to install Sony's Image Data Converter to handle the .ARW editing but there's really no compelling feature in PlayMemories Home other than another way to view your imported Sony NEX snaps. I admit that the different calendar views is slick and performed exceptionally well even on my underpowered machine but I also must concede that installing PlayMemories Home just for that feature is a bit overkill.








I don't blame Sony's software developers - the tools in PlayMemories Home are probably appropriate for grandfathers and grandmas who aren't interested in Linux or Adobe software. Like I mentioned early in this article, most software included with consumer electronics is nothing more than value-add and aimed at beginners or lazy users who expect more for what they paid. Most hardware manufacturers are hard-pressed to provide unique and actually useful software for their products considering that in this day and age everyone has a degree of digital literacy. Although it was inevitable, I feel sentimental about the old days when people were new to computers and needed simple programs to execute simple tasks.



 
Continued in Sony PlayMemories Home and the Sony NEX-3NL Part 2: PlayMemories Online

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A Sony NEX-3NL Review from a Non-Photographer Part 2

Category: Tech Today

Continued from A Sony NEX-3NL Review from a Non-Photographer Part 1

6. Flash button. My hands are pretty small but I had initial problems pressing the button to pop-up the flash. I will admit, however, that I never needed the flash in the last two weeks of playing around with the Sony NEX-3NL. The lens and aperture settings are more than enough to handle a variety of low-light conditions. Ben Grimm (that's the Thing of the Fantastic Four) would have problems pressing the flash button though.

7. Grip and weight. The weight and grip feels pretty good on my diminutive hands. My old Canon point-and-shoot digital cameras easily slipped into my jeans and it was easy to just pull them out and take snaps, but having a real camera strap around my neck and taking photos with an impressive sensor just felt like I had been upgraded several notches from my old Canon Powershot A2000IS.

8. Doors and access panels. Battery door, memory card, and connectors found in most mobile devices are getting better and better and I'm pretty sure some readers would wonder why I even mention it. The doors on the Sony NEX-3NL are dummy proof (not plastic and bendable) and further inspection shows that Sony used premium components for the material.

9. Sony handbook and user manual. I can understand why most users complain about camera menus after a few tries - people never review the user manual or use a product extensively before complaining in forums, ranting on Amazon.com or embarrassing themselves in public by swearing at an electronic device. Hey, if you've tried Linux desktop environments like Unity, Gnome 3.x or Enlightenment, Sony's interface is a snap. That said, Sony provides two really good PDFs on their support site - The Sony NEX handbook and the Sony NEX-3N Instruction Manual. I actually loaded the handbook to my iPod and iPad for reference if I need some help taking difficult photos. 

10. Sony modes. The Sony NEX-3NL has a easy few modes that are exceptionally useful for dilettantes like me: Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Anti Motion Blur, and Hand-Held Twilight are all found in the menus. Hand-held twilight, a NEX feature Sony advertised on the brochures and product web site, can easily be seen as a "gimmick" but I was pleasantly surprised photos using the mode provided great results. Taking low light photos is never fun for non-photographers but Hand-held twilight made it easy by taking several photos in one instance to create a more than acceptable image. I've had little opportunity to play around with Shutter Priority but Aperture Priority worked like a charm with little user interaction.

In comparison

There are two points I want to raise about using the NEX-3NL that I probably wouldn't have noticed if it weren't for the two point-and-shoot Canon cameras I've been using for the last decade.

First, although the Sony has a dedicated Movie button and users won't need to turn the control wheel to record movies, there isn't an option for Movie recording to work in conjunction with the timer. The Timer's 10 second and 5 second mode works with continuous shooting and single shots but not for movie recording. Even my first Canon PowerShot had this option, which made it easy to start recording home movies without my having to go the camera to trigger the button.



Second, it actually takes more effort to shoot Macro photos. Under the list of SCN options, there's a dedicated Macro option, but it didn't work nearly as well as my Canon when I tried taking photos of my laptop and electronic devices. The photos in Part 1 and in this article were taken using the PowerShot for obvious reasons, but I'll more likely use the Canon for that purpose in the future as well. Perhaps it's because I'm so new to using an ILC, but taking quick, basic macro shots using the PowerShot A200IS point-and-shoot was easier than using the impressive lens of the NEX-3NL. I'm aware it takes a good bit of practice though so maybe I'll change my mind eventually.

Summary

All in all, the Sony NEX-3NL is a significant step up from any point-and-shoot digital camera (and kilometers ahead of taking photos using a smartphone or tablet). Despite my relatively uneventful life, it's good to have a solid and capable camera next to me if something does happen. Does that mean I've chucked away my dependable Canon PowerShot A2000IS? Definitely not. The A2000IS takes excellent macro photos and runs on rechargeable AAA batteries. Although demoted to a backup camera in my travel bag, the PowerShot is now my dedicated video movie recorder for casual events. Meanwhile, I'll be spending the next few years practicing and taking photos using the NEX. I still encourage users to purchase point-and-shoot cameras over DSLRs especially if you take more photos using your smartphone or (ugh) tablet, but if you like solid photos and have the budget for it, consider an affordable ILC like the Sony NEX-3NL.

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A Sony NEX-3NL Review from a Non-Photographer Part 1

Category: Tech Today

Having used Canon film cameras during my youth and purchased a Canon PowerShot point-and-shoot back in 2003 and then another model in 2009, I've never had complaints with Canon cameras and never considered buying a DSLR (arguably one of the most overpriced electronic products in the world). I ignored mirrorless ILCs when they were first introduced to the market and was ready to invest my hard-earned money in a smartphone when the Sony NEX-3NL went on sale in Hong Kong and then in Shanghai. Now, the Sony NEX series was always in my radar in case I ever won the New York lottery or gained wall-crawling powers to take news photos from buildings. Despite my loyalty for Canon and my older brother's penchant for Lumix cameras, the NEX-3NL was within my limited skillset and conservative price range. Two other reasons for finally upgrading to an ILC after all these years were a) I hardly ever called or texted anyone which made smartphones impractical and b) I had a great excuse because a huge Chinese holiday was coming up and Christmas/New Year was just around the corner.

There are plenty of exhaustive reviews of Sony's NEX cameras including ones written for the entry-level ILC, NEX-3NL. I went through plenty of articles myself before taking advantage of an online sale and purchasing the camera. I'm hardly qualified to write a review from a photographer's perspective so I'll focus on the user experience instead:

1. Design and appearance. Retro designs from Olympus and Lumix are in vogue these days and although physical design is at the bottom of my list when it comes to buying electronics, I'm digging the black metal build of the NEX-3NL. My friend in Shanghai, who is learning to use her new Nikon DSLR, admitted that she would've preferred a smaller camera like the Sony NEX-3NL. The Sony NEX-3NL is big enough not to look like a point-and-shoot but small enough not to feel like a millstone around your neck. The camera doesn't scream "I'm a TOURIST!" and doesn't make you look like one of those smug, arrogant "photographers" who believe they understand the particle physics behind their camera. There's a white and pink version of the Sony NEX-3NL but heck, all I needed was a press pass saying Daily Bugle and I'm all set to report to Robbie Robertson and J. Jonah Jameson.




2. JPEG and RAW. I've already written about Sony's RAW file format and how it works with Windows and Linux. I have yet to fully tap into the power of RAW using Sony's utility, showFOTO, DigiKam and RawTherapee but my first impression of Sony's .ARW format is very positive. For those who just need to post web photos, you can set the Sony NEX-3NL to shoot both RAW and JPEG at the same time.

3. Menus and Interface. Reviewers of Sony cameras criticize the overly friendly and somewhat text-laden menus. As a technical writer, I didn't find it burdensome or annoying at all. The NEX-3NL is an entry level ILC and the menus and text are helpful to someone with limited skills like me. Obviously, veteran photographers (or people who think they're really good with a camera) can look elsewhere if they feel offended by the interface but I thought the descriptions of settings were judiciously added. I admit that the menus could use a bit of redesign considering that Sony products, particularly the Xperia smartphones, are known for their attractive and slick interface. But remember, this is a camera - not a smartphone for showing off. Moreover, your eyes will eventually filter out the text descriptions and icons once you've used the camera long enough anyway.

4. Swiveling LCD screen and Auto Self-Portrait. One of the primary features of the Sony NEX-3NL that Sony marketed intensively was the Self-Portrait feature. I'm not a huge fan of the most narcissistic digital activity in the world and loathe the term "selfie". The swiveling LCD panel and the automatic self-portrait controls, however, are useful if your companion or significant other wants to share a photo with you. 

5. E16-50mm Lens. It's my first ILC and veteran photographers will roll their eyes when I say this - the huge lens is awesome. You would still need to know how to use the settings of the Sony NEX camera to get the best photos but I have to admit the kit zoom lens certainly prevented me from taking insanely shoddy photos. If you've used point-and-shoot cameras for most of your life like me, the difference in photo quality is startling.




Continued in A Sony NEX-3NL Review from a Non-Photographer Part 2

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Tech Flashback: The Lethal Weapon series 1987-1998 Part 2

Continued from Tech Flashback: The Lethal Weapon series 1987-1998 Part 1

We now revisit Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) which has the least amount of tech and is therefore extremely difficult to use as an example of a film that highlights the changes in technology. In a totally unrelated note, the sequel to the original Lethal Weapon (1987) is also the best and most well-rounded of the quadrilogy. Mel Gibson's Martin Riggs is less suicidal this time around, cheerfully going about his duties as an inefficient but tempestous policeman in 1980s Los Angeles. Danny Glover shines as the loyal and dedicated family man who remains the sole friend of Riggs.


Riggs and Murtaugh returns.
All screen captures from the Lethal Weapon Blu-Ray set.

VHS as a Plot Device

Just like the first movie featuring these two overworked policemen, VHS plays a prominent role and once again a tool that helps Sgt. Murtaugh crack the case (and the setting of the final faceoff). Unlike the NSFW video Sgt. Murtaugh views in Lethal Weapon, he watches a poorly shot home video of his own family at the docks. Today, such poor quality is inexcusable with even digital cameras capable of rendering an excellent resolution using an AVCHD or MP4 container. High-end digital camcorders are quickly being supplanted by high-resolution ILCs/DSLRs that double as video recorders making home videos easy and accessible for everyone. There's also the ubiquitous camera phone, which makes up for its limited video capabilities by being extremely portable. If the Internet was around in 1989, Murtaugh could have solved the case in 2 minutes by Bing-ing or Google-ing Alba Varden, though an online search would have removed any indication of Murtaugh's keen memory and detective skills.


Murtaugh prepares his trusty VHS player.

Chase Scenes

Mel Gibson's memorable car vs. man chase scene is somewhat revisited in the sequel's opening minutes as Riggs and Murtaugh opens the film in a raucous bumper to bumper run. It's very, very difficult to film a believable chase scene in the streets of any city in 2013 especially if the audiences are aware of available traffic and map apps and live websites. I'm not a dedicated user of smartphone maps but even I understand how efficient they are (Apple Maps not included). High-speed motorcycle scenes like the one in Bourne Legacy (2012) worked because online maps cannot hope to track the traffic and ever-changing directions in the horrendously confusing streets and alleys of Manila. However, Los Angeles in 1989 was considerably tamer even in the most congested places and a quick look at online maps would've helped Martin and Roger catch the villains in the first five minutes of the movie. Moreover, anyone with a camera phone would have uploaded to the Internet the low-flying helicopter minutes before it had even arrived to pick up the dastardly South Africans. The sheer inefficiency of managing the police cars could have been avoided if the police officers were carrying around smartphones. An example of how efficient using an online map could be when racing after a felon on foot could be seen in the first episode of Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock (2011). 

Lethal Weapon 2 briefly flashes to the police communications center as the dynamic duo barrels across the highway towards the escaping foreigners. The dispatch team's equipment isn't nearly as helpful as apps or websites such as Here.com, Nokia/Bing/Google maps or government live traffic cams. So the next time you watch a chase scene across a city by car, scratch your head and wonder why they didn't bother to use any free online live traffic videos or at least crowdsource what they needed to locate the criminals.

The Best

There are many reasons why Lethal Weapon 2 was the best of the series but two infrequently mentioned reasons is British sex kitten Patsy Kensit in her American debut and Joe Pesci's Leo Getz. As much as I love Rene Russo's turn in Lethal Weapon 3, Patsy Kensit gave the series a sweet and sensual glow that softened (and hardened) Riggs. Although I would have liked the filmmakers to choose the less violent fate of her character (as it was rumored she was to appear unscathed in an alternate ending), I must admit her eventual demise was startling, painful and necessary considering the merciless nature of the antagonists. There are many controversial themes in Lethal Weapon 2 including a visit to the South African Embassy, racism, police assassinations, and diplomatic immunity, but one that most people might have missed are the crimes of money launderer Leo Getz, explained in minute detail by the lovable Joe Pesci. Joe Pesci's appearance here showed tinges of his deft skills as a character actor (as seen later in his career in the 1994 movie With Honors) and it's understandable why audiences embraced his presence and allowed him to appear in the next iterations of the series.


Riggs/Mel Gibson charms the lovely Rika/Patsy Kensit .

There are many plot holes in Lethal Weapon 2, including its overly dramatic finale where diplomat Arjen Rudd shoots Riggs and is in turn shot by Murtaugh while standing on top of the highest deck of a container ship (Rudd and Murtaugh's bullets could never cross that distance and even if their peaguns were powerful enough, the projectiles would have lost much accuracy at that height and angle).  However, Lethal Weapon 2 is easily an excellent example of a great cop action flick and should be the standard of great buddy copy entertainment.

Continued in  Tech Flashback: The Lethal Weapon series 1987-1998 Part 3

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Sony Image Data Converter for the Sony NEX-3NL

Category: Tech Today

The Sony NEX-3NL digital camera does not include a CD or DVD. Although the NEX-3NL is designed for new ILC users, I really like that Sony didn't waste resources on physical media or software that most users probably won't install. The only hint of any software for the Sony NEX-3NL is a sony.jp and sony.net URL on the printed booklet and on the box. For diligent users who check the PDF manual before investing on expensive hardware, the Sony support page will list two free downloads for the Sony ILC: Sony PlayMemories Home and Image Data Converter.

As a user with no illusions of being a photographer, I'm having an incredible time playing around with the Sony NEX-3NL's features and I'm saving a review of the ILC for a later article. However, after testing if software in Fedora and openSUSE supports Sony's .AZW RAW format, I decided to install the free Sony Image Data Converter.

Image Data Converter and more

After working with dozens of OEM-provided software and crapware over the last twenty years, I was expecting Sony's Image Data Converter to be a colorful and pretentious utility with ads for upgrading to an overpriced commercial software.

I was totally wrong. And I was impressed.

Sony's name is not found anywhere on the Image Data Converter interface until you click the Help and About Image Data Converter option.  The utility is clean, simple and straightforward with a standard folder tree and a preview window. I'm a huge fan of applications that execute a few tasks but do them well and I haven't seen a utility with these characteristics in Microsoft Windows for a long, long time.

Image Data Converter is designed to do the following:

1. Preview .ARW files.
2. Convert a whole folder of .ARW files to JPEG or TIFF. Click File then Output or click the JPEG/TIFF icon on the control panel to run the batch processing system. Make sure you're sure you want to convert the whole folder before clicking Save or you're in for a long wait.




3. Display Image Properties - this is extremely useful for checking which of Sony's special camera settings were applied to a photo you took.




4. Sort, rate and tag with color labels .ARW files.




5. Edit Sony's .ARW RAW format. Image Data converter has a very competent set of RAW editing tools. Note that if you took photos using the JPEG format, the photo-editing tools are limited to Shading and Tone. The Sony developers focused on their .ARW format when they created this utility and it shows. Some of the more notable tools found in the edit palette are Version Stack (to track editing changes), Noise Reduction, Tone Curve and Creative Style (to apply Sony's camera filters).




6. Create index prints for printing or exporting to applications such as Microsoft Office OneNote.




I'm no expert, but I liked the robust editing tools provided by Image Data Converter for .ARW files. Although most users would probably lean towards their beloved (and more likely pirated) Adobe Photoshop, I have a notion the Sony developers have a leg up since these tools are designed for their own RAW format. However, Image Data Converter will detect Photoshop if it's installed on your computer and will allow you to open .ARW files in a third-party application by converting them to TIFF first. The utility failed to detect my Corel Photo-Paint though you can add other photo-editing software by clicking Tool then Settings and then Add on the External Programs tab.

Worth Installing

I generally avoid redundant freeware even if it's provided by the OEM. As a Linux user, I'm very happy using DigiKam and showFoto, both of which proved to handle Sony's .ARW files well enough. However, since my Linux systems are on fairly low-powered computers, I will more likely manage my Sony NEX-3NL photos in my Windows machine - assisted efficiently by Sony's own Image Data Converter.

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