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COIN V2

August 26, 2015

IMG_2281Well COIN pushed an update to their app on iOS today. Part of the update was to add a feature to add a nickname to each credit card stored on the Coin device. Okay, to refresh your memory, Coin is a device that allows one to store up to six credit cards on the device. It has the same form factor as a typical credit or debit card. The deal is that you can reduce the thickness of your wallet from six credit cards to one.

The problem was that one had to remember the last four digits of each credit card so that one could select the one that you wanted to use. So for example, now you could assign a nickname like WF for a Wells Fargo card or BA for Bank of America. A feature that would be welcome and useful.

They also announced that would be a V2 version of the device. Current owners/users could upgrade for free. Well that’s nice. The V1 device seems to have some issues around acceptability at some merchants. ie. not everybody accepts it. That’s a big problem because it means that you have to have a real backup credit card in case the store can’t read the COIN.

The V2 COIN is also supposed to support NFC (Near Field Communication). This allows one just to wave the card on top of the POS terminal. This is the same feature that is used by ApplePay or GooglePay. If stores start supporting NFC, why would I need a card? I could just use my iPhone, Most stores aren’t anywhere close to accepting NFC,

Here’s the main problem. The V2 COIN won’t start shipping until Q1 2016. What they mean by that is the end of Q1 2016. Corporations often have a weird way of telling time. If I told my wife that I would be home by 9 pm and I walked in the door  at 9:55 she might be justifiably be upset. I said I would be home by 9. It’s still 9 o’clock. Time to duck. That’s seven months from now by my math.

Anyways, back to the update. I installed the update. I registered for the update. no problem. I am now aware of their method of keeping time. I managed to set one nickname. But I was unable to set another. At the same time my COIN seems frozen. No sync, Won’t turn on. I can’t prove that the update screwed up my COIN but it seems likely that it’s the culprit.

Time for another email to COIN support. They say to repeatedly push the on button until it unfreezes or let it sit for 24-48 hours. Sigh. My COIN is real close to being thrown in the back of the drawer with all of my other electronic gadgets that promised to change the world but didn’t.

If you’re thinking of buying one of these gadgets. Don’t.

Categories: apps, Internet, iOS, Reviews
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The Martian

August 20, 2015

The MartianI just finished the book titled “The Martian” by Andy Weir. Well it’s a sort of science fiction novel. It’s the story of an astronaut who gets left behind on a NASA mission to Mars. The six member crew aborts their mission after a serious dust storm on Mars. The commander believes that crew member Mark Watney perishes in the storm and orders the remaining crew members to hastily depart the planet.

This is the story of how Mark Watney struggles to survive after his crew mates have left without him. Okay, this is science fiction, but it is believable science fiction. It probably helps if one is a nerd or a geek to read this. There is a lot of technical mumbo jumbo.

He figures out how to produce food. Fix his living quarters and communicate home to the folks at NASA.

The book doesn’t real state what the date is, but I kind of inferred it was perhaps 30 or 40 years in the future. It is what one might imagine a Mars mission might look like.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. I read somewhere that a movie version is in the works. I kind hardly wait.

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RIP – Omar Sharif

July 13, 2015

 

I read that movie star Omar Sharif passed away last week. He was 83. Here is the link to obit in the NY Times. Mr Sharif had an Oscar nomination for his role in “Lawrence of Arabia”.  Here’s the link to his entry on IMDB.

So in our household we are doing an Omar Sharif film festival this week starting with “Lawrence of Arabia” Here’s the link to the trailer. Watching this film first because it was available for free on Amazon Instant Prime. We’ve only watched the first half so far. The movie is 3 hours and 45 minutes long. Oh my aching butt. Thankfully, they don’t make movies that long any more. This is a film that belongs on the big screen. Our 32″ TV just doesn’t do it justice. Here’s the link to the trailer on IMDB.

Then we’re going to watch “Funny Girl” which we just got on DVD. Buying older films on DVD is as about as cheap as renting on Amazon Instant video, Here’s the link to the IMDB entry. Also, Paula is a big fan of Barbra Streisand

And finally, we will be watching “Doctor Zhivago”. Here’s the link to the IMDB entry. This movie is also on the long side at 3 hours and 16 minutes. DVD ordered.

Other movies on our watch list include all of the Minions movies. (Despicable Me, et al.). Maybe the kid in me is breaking out to go see the animated films. Minions rock!

TTFN

Joe

Categories: Films, Movies, Reviews
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Captain John Smith

July 12, 2015

Great RogueI just finished reading a book titled “The Great Rogue: A Biography of Captain John Smith” by Noel Gerson. John Smith was one of truly great English explorers. He was one of the founders of the colony at Jamestown, Virginia in 1602, The book was actually written quite a while ago (the copywright notice says 1978). It was only recently published on Kindle.

The book tells the story of his early life and through his exploring and colonizing of the new world. The Jamestown colony came almost twenty years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.

it was enjoyable read. A couple thoughts seemed to jump out at me. First that the English investors in the New World had this idea that gold, silver and precious jewels would be found as soon as the colonists landed in the new world.

The second idea was that the path to the Pacific Ocean was just around the corner and up the stream. It took John Smith a long time to persuade the investors that there wasn’t gold in every hill.

He did however that other natural resources were just as valuable. Those resources included lumber, furs and many other goods that were traded with the indians. He also discovered that fish and whales were abundant. Whales were valuable for their oil (used in lamps) and ambergris. Ambergris is a substance found in the digestive system of whales that was valued by perfumeries.

John Smith wanted to go on the Mayflower expedition but the leaders didn’t think he was a good fit. Instead they chose Miles Standish.

John Smith an outstanding job of mapping the New World. When he returned to London in 1609 after suffering serious burns, Smith returned with maps, charts and data about the new world. He never got to return to the new world but he certainly affected the development. It’s a good read.

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COIN

July 5, 2015

  About 18 months ago, I paid $50 to join a crowd source funding for a new product called “COIN”. COIN is supposed to be a credit card replacement that could dynamically change the data on the credit card magnetic stripe. One would be able to store a total of 8 different credit cards on the device. The idea is/was to reduce one’s credit card bloat in your wallet.

It seemed like a good idea to me. I typically have about 6-7 credit cards including ATM cards, credit cards and the like. The developer was promising delivery during the summer of 2014. I guess the early beta didn’t go as well as they hoped. So last summer they scheduled a second expanded beta with expanded beta units going to those who signed on early in the funding process.

Everyone else would have to wait until full production ramped up this summer. Those who didn’t want to wait could get a refund. So a couple of weeks ago I finally received my unit. Better late than never.

Here’s how it works, You need to install the COIN app on your smart phone (in my case an iPhone 6 plus). The COIN comes with a plug in credit card reader. First you have to pair your phone with the COIN. The COIN uses Blue-Tooth to communicate with the app.

One loads the credit cards into the app by swiping the card on the card reader. Then the app prompts you to add the security code on the back of the card. Once you are finished loading credit cards onto the app you then sync the credit cards with the COIN, So far so good. Works as advertised.

The COIN is the exact same size as a credit card. It has a small display that shows the card type (AMEX, Visa, etc) and last four digits of the card number. You can load credit/debit cards, gift cards and some id cards that have a magnetic stripe (though I can’t see how much use that would be.) There is button that you press to wake up the card and select the card that one wants to use.

Supposedly the COIN is compatible with most credit card readers and ATM’s. Here is where the rubber hits the road (or not). I haven’t tried it on any ATM’s yet. I don’t need to go to ATM’s very much. I usually get cash back while I am at the supermarket.

I have tried to use the device about a half dozen time. This is certainly a very limited sample size to be sure. I have attempted and been rejected at two different restaurants. I have successfully used it at a grocery store and the Starbucks at the grocery store.

It does have some neat security features though. The COIN won’t work if you lose connection to your phone. And the app will warn you that your COIN has gone away. It shuts off after about seven minutes and you will need a pass code to turn it back on or be paired with your phone.

So I wouldn’t use at it the regular Starbucks. They have an iPhone App for that and it works quite well.

Much of my shopping is done online and this device is of no use for that type of shopping.

My end goal is to have Apple-Pay become more widely accepted. Then I could ditch the credit cards all together. As it stands right now, I have only seen Apple-Pay in use at one merchant establishment (Panera Restaurant).

If you are interested in learning more about the device from the developer’s web site, Go to onlycoin.com. As for me, I’m not quite ready to leave my credit cards at home (at least not yet.) The support pages has a list of merchants that accept COIN and a list that have been reported as rejecting it.

Categories: apps, Reviews, Technology
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Inside Out

June 30, 2015

Last night was date night. Every week or two Paula and I try to get out to see a movie and have dinner alone together. No kids, no mother-in-law, just us. Monday, is a really good time to go to the movies. There was only about 10 people in the theater.

Last night we decided to see the movie “Inside Out”. Here’s the IMDB link. This is an animated movie produced by Pixar diected by Pete Docter. The movie depicts the inner workings of the mind of a 12 year old girl named Riley who has been uprooted from her home in Minnesota and moved to San Francisco.

Riley’s mind is a sort of control room governed by fear, disgust, sadness, anger and joy. Joy is voiced by Amy Poehler, fear by Bill Hader, anger by Lewis Black and sadness by Phyllis Smith.

So everything is going just fine with Riley until she ends up at her new home in San Francisco. The moving truck is delayed and none of the family’s furniture has arrived. So Joy and Sadness through some magical means are transported to the nether regions of the mind, far away from the control center. 

Meanwhile back at the ranch Fear, Disgust and Bing-Bong alternate try to fix things. Things are not going well for poor Riley. So Joy and Sadness try desperately attempt to get back to the control center and to make things right. So our intrepid pair meet up with Riley’s childhood imaginary friend and together they continue to slog on.

The film is rated PG. I wouldn’t recommend anyone taking kids under the age of 11 or 12. The scenes from the subconsious parts of the mind could be pretty scary for a little one. The movie is certainly okay for seniors, though.

So, 90 minutes later, Joy and Sadness make it back to the control room. Mom and Dad give Riley big hugs and everyone lives happily ever after, per omnia secula, seculorum, amen.

I particularly enjoyed Lewis Black’s performance as anger. Anger is right in his wheel house. I give the film 3.5 stars.

Finally, we stopped at Taxco Mexican Restaurant which is just around the corner from us on Western in San Pedro for margaritas and some Mexican food. Very tasty.

Categories: Movies, Reviews
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Date Night

April 17, 2015

Last night was date night. Every couple of weeks Paula and I try to get out to have dinner and see a movie without her mother.

Last night was such a night. We were running late. It took us a while to get Mary settled in with a glass of wine and a snack. Got her set to watch the news, etc.

We decided to do dinner first at a place called “Britt’s Barbecue”. It’s a new restaurant in San Pedro and we’ve been meaning to try it. Paula had BBQ chicken and I had the pulled pork sandwich. Good food, good service and reasonable prices. Good place to go for a quick bite.

Then on to the movies. We decided to go see “Fast and Furious 7“. There wasn’t a lot to choose from. Furious 7 stars the late Paul Walker, Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson. The theater was packed with a lot of people, mostly young folks. The people sitting next to us brought the whole family including a four or five year old. Too cheap to get a baby sitter I guess. They were kind of annoying. I guess we were lucky to find two seats together on an aisle. Then there was someone sitting behind me kicking the back of my seat.

So the movie is basically two hours of chase and shoot’em up scenes. First the good guys chase the bad guys then the bad guys chase the good guys. I never quite figured out why the A team was chasing the bad guys. Something about vengeance for someone who was killed by the bad guys.

So, on and on it goes. Some how that end up in Abu Dhabi at the penthouse suite of some Arab bazillionaire. Some gadget is hidden in an expensive sports care that is parked up on the penthouse. Lot’s of good looking, scantily clad young ladies enjoying the good life.

Eventually they make their way back to LA where they commence to chase each other and blow stuff up all over LA. I kept wondering, where was the KTLA news chopper when all of this went down.

The closing credits list about 50 or 60 stunt people. I wonder how many cars were wrecked during the shooting of the film.

So Thursday night was bargain night at the theater. All seats were $5. I can deal with that. So I figure that the from the $5, $4.75 were to pay for the chases. $0.25 was to pay for the plot. Not exactly Oscar material.

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

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Alleged Local News

March 16, 2015

Every once in a while, our local news stations does something that drives me crazy. (At least the stations that we generally watch, KTLA and KNBC).
 
 Both stations generally have helicopters with video cameras. Both stations love police chases. Both stations will drop all other coverage of events that are going on in the area and broadcast the chase. This happens all the time.
 
 I think this sort of thing started back in the 90’s with broadcast of the OJ Simpson chase.
 
 This past week such an event occurred. The choppers were hovering over the scene. The perp was out of the car and sitting on someone’s front porch with a gun. The LAPD SWAT team was engaged. Yellow tape was deployed. Black and White police cars were deployed blocking access to the streets. Must have been 20 black and whites plus all the SWAT vehicles. (Your tax dollars at work.)
 
 So what did the guy do? We don’t know. We never found out. KTLA broadcast the entire episode with only two breaks for commercials. If it weren’t for the fact the news was only an hour, the coverage would have lasted until the chopper ran out of gas.
 
 So no weather, no traffic, no sports (not that I give a whit about the Lakers). Just an hours worth of nothing. Of course the weather doesn’t change much every day. (warm and sunny). Once in a long while there might be some rain (couple of days a year.)
 
 Luckily it was recorded on our DVR. So I hit the FF button to do the entire broadcast in five minutes.
 
 
 – Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Categories: California, Los Angeles, Reviews
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The Theory of Everything

February 14, 2015

I’m on a roll here folks. Last week, Paula, Mary and I went to see “The Theory of Everything” starring Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones. This is the opposite of date night. This is the night where we take my mother-in-law to the movies. This is the true story of Dr Stephen Hawking and his wife Jane Wilde discover that Dr Hawking has the incurable disease ALS.

everythingThe movie starts before the onset of the disease and through the time when he discovers the disease. The movie gives us a brief glimpse of Stephen Hawking’s life.

Once again the set direction is outstanding. You feel that you have been transported back in time to the 50’s and 60’s. Eddie Redmayne nails his characterization of Hawking. I kept thinking, How’d he do that. One actually believes that you are watching Hawking. Amazing.

Theory of Everything has been nominated for 5 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress.

We’re trying to make it through all of the Oscar nominated films but I don’t think that we will make it. Sigh.

Once again, great film, Go see it.

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The Imitation Game

February 14, 2015

Last night, Paula and I went out for date night to see “The Imitation Game” starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley. This is the true story of Alan Turing who was a gifted mathematician during WWII. Turing was responsible for the cracking of the German Enigma Code machine. He had created a computing machine that eventually could decode the imitation gameGerman transmissions.

The title refers to what is also known as the “Turing Test” where a human being and a computer are located behind a screen. Then a person asks questions of the person and the computer and tries to determine which is the computer and which is the person. It is the gold standard for artificial intelligence. IBM’s “Watson” is considered to be on the leading edge of artificial intelligence.

Anyways, the story begins with Turing applying for a job at Bletchley Park. Turing begins designing and building a computing machine to decode the German transmission. Decoding by hand up until that time was not making any progress. The code setting were changed every night at midnight.

Cumberbatch does a wonderful job of portraying Turing. You actually believe that he is Allan Turing. I was amazed at the set decoration. You feel that you have been transported back in time to war time Britain.

Allan Turing committed suicide in 1954 after being prosecuted by the British for being a homosexual. He recently received a posthumous pardon from Queen Elizabeth II in 2013, along with a formal apology from Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Keira Knightley plays Joan Clarke who is another gifted mathematician. She worked with Turing in Hut 8 at Bletchley Park. The movie depicts her troubles finding acceptance with a society that felt that a woman’s place was in the home, not working decoding Nazi messages.

So “Imitation Game” has been nominated for 8 Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Director. It seems that actors today seem to be less likely to change their names to something more pleasant to the ear. Back in the day, you would have Roy Scherer Jr changing his name to Rock Hudson or Marion Robert Morrison changing his name to John Wayne.

Outstanding movie. Go see it. Coming next, review of “The Theory of Everything”

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