Categories
Photography Reviews

A review of canvas prints from Walmart

I ordered a canvas from Walmart for Carolyn for Mother’s Day this year. They had their 16×20 framed print ‘rolled back’ for only $30 with same day pickup. Carolyn wanted some flower pictures that we took from Hawaii and so she picked the picture below which has some great contrast. When I picked up the print I was very happy to see the quality of the print and the ‘pop’ of the colors. I even received an inquiry as to where the picture was taken and a compliment on the picture 🙂 The only little thing that bothered me was that the canvas was not wrapped to the back of the frame as I have seen in the past with other purchases.

I will order again from Walmart in the future and am very happy with our purchase. Walmart is offering good quality at a reasonable price.

The canvas print – my phone is not doing the colors justice
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Original picture
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The back of the canvas – Notice that the canvas material is not wrapped around the back of the frame
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Categories
Friends Sports

A celebration at Target Field

Our team recently finished a huge project at work and we celebrated with each other at a Twins game recently. It was really great to get everyone outside of the office for a nice time. I really enjoyed seeing everyone 🙂

Click here for the full album

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2012-07-19 Twins game

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Categories
Tech

How to: Remote backup between two D-Link DNS-325 NAS devices

I recently picked up a second DNS-325 device to have installed at a family member’s house so that I can perform remote backups of our files between the two 325 devices. My goal was that I was tired of paying ~$60 for Carbonite every year and I wanted to find a less expensive solution. So, I picked up an extra NAS for about $100 on sale and used some smaller drives that I already owned in the new NAS. The configuration was pretty simple and will save us money over the coming years. Follow these instructions to get setup.

Important Notes:

  • Both of my DNS-325 units are running the 1.02 firmware version.
  • Before starting this process it is assumed that there is data with directories on the NAS to be backed up and that there are directories created on the remote NAS where the backups will reside.
  • There is a bug in 1.02 that I have found where if I restart or have a power outage, I have to re-enter my “Remote Server” password. The summary of backup jobs will show a “failed” status if either of these events occur and the password is not re-entered.

Setup NAT entries

This step is only needed if backups will be performed over the Internet.

On your router forward ports 22, 873, and 62057 to your internal IP address of the DNS-325. My router looks like the following as an example.

 Configure the Remote Server

To enable the remote backup service, the remote server needs to be enabled on the destination NAS. The destination NAS is where the backup will reside.

Login to the web interface on the remote backup NAS.

Click on “Applications”

Click on “Remote Backups”

Check the box labeled “Enable remote backup service” and enter a password of your choice. Click “Save Settings”

Configure Remote Backups

Now it is time to identify the directories that will be backed up to the remote NAS. These steps are to be performed on the NAS that contains the data that is desired to be backed up.

Login to the web interface on the NAS with the data that needs to be backed up.

Click on “Applications”

Click on “Remote Backups”

Click on “Remote Backups” on the left side of the screen, then click “Create”, and finally “Next” on the welcome screen.

Select “NAS to NAS” in the Service Type selection and “Local to Remote” in the Backup direction selection.

Enter a backup name in the “Task” input, then browse for a folder path of the directory that is desired for backup, and click “Next”.

Enter an IP (not a hostname) in the “Remote IP” entry (this IP must be the Internet IP for remote backups or your local network IP for local backups), enter the password that was entered above in the “Configuring the Remote Server” section, check the “Enable encryption” checkbox, and click “Next”.

A “Testing” message will first show up and if the IP, NAT entries (for Internet backups), and password are correct the following screen should appear with a “Remote Path” dropdown”. Select the destination directory on the remote NAS and click “Next”.

Select any “Schedule Mode” that is desired and whether or not to run the backup job now.

**Keep in mind that if the job is run and contains a lot of data a remote connection will take a long time to complete. I recommend performing these backups initially over a local network by simply changing the “Remote IP” entry above to the local network IP and then later modify the job for a remote IP. Also, if many jobs are going to be created one after another it is wise to NOT run the backups because running backups will prevent subsequent jobs from being created until they are completed.

Click “Next”

Complete this step by reviewing the summary and click “Finish”. The backups can be run manually in the “Remote Backups” screen by clicking the “Backup Now” icon.

I hope this tutorial helps some people. Enjoy!

Categories
Friends Sports

Team gathering at a Twins game

Wednesday was a beautiful day for a baseball game. We had quite the crowd from Delta IT at the game and good times all around 🙂

Click here to view the full album

The pre-party

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Walking to the stadium
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Oh boy…
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I feel sorry for the Captain!
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Categories
Tech

Review of Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus

I picked up a Galaxy Nexus (GN) a few weeks ago after finding that Verizon had my account upgrade eligible. I figured that I might as well take advantage of this upgrade and get the phone that will have the latest and greatest that Android can offer over the next couple of years.

Main Features:

  •  Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) OS
  • Super OMLED 720p Screen
  • Near Field Communication (NFC)
  • Zero lag camera
  • 4G LTE

The Nexus line of devices are considered to be developer phones. These “Google” devices and are not supposed to have bloat (Verizon!?) that the carriers typically add to their devices and are ‘pure’ Android and do not have modified software such as HTC Sense or Moto Blur for example. The results of not having this extra bloat is a fast and smooth experience. The Nexus line is also supposed to be the first to get OS updates from Google versus having to wait until the OEM or carrier to get around to updating a device.

Build Quality

The build quality of this device is on par with other Samsung phones that I have played with. This is my first Samsung Android device so I do not have much to compare. The device is light in weight and feels of plastic as that is what the phone is constructed with. I would say that my HTC Rezound and EVO’s before it have had a more solid feel. I  am not worried about the construction of the phone and its ability to hold up over time.

I do not usually get caught up in how a phone looks but I will say that I do admire the look of this device and the deep black front of the phone and screen that blend together very well.

Performance

This phone is fast! The browsers run very smoothly, especially when using the new Chrome Beta browser. While Android in its current state will never be as smooth as iOS, the GN performs very well. Transitions are smooth and I find the rotation of the screen to be pleasant. Movies and games all play very well and multitasking is never a problem.

The signal reception is weaker than other Verizon devices that I have experience with. The phone, for talking (who does that anymore?) is not the loudest phone that I have used. Also, the speaker quality could be better.

Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0)

I really like the polished look of ICS. When I switch back to my Rezound, I instantly notice the difference. All of the Google based applications look very nice and the navigation is much better with less hidden navigation. The colors and fonts are very clean. Unlike previous Android versions, the applications are not bland with dull buttons and instead have nice icon buttons that can be long pressed for labels. The calendar even provide pinch to zoom for the single day view.

Gmail inbox and single day view in calendar

People application and Gmail composing

Camera

Other than the radio performance I would say this is the only other big weakness of this device. When compared to the Rezound or iPhone camera, the GN is lacking. The features in the camera software are a lot of fun, there is a new panorama mode which I do like to use along with a built in stop motion mode which I plan to use this summer at the cabin. At the same time, I can download third party apps to perform these tasks for my non ICS devices but it is nice to have the native functionality.

Screen

The screen on this phone is gorgeous. The vivid colors and contrast is top notch. The display does use pentile technology which has had some bad press from the Motorola line of phones that use it with little success. I will say that Samsung has figured out this technology and it is a non-issue on the GN.

NFC

Near field communication technology is in its infancy in smart phones. There is an issue with the Verizon GN phone and using Google Wallet. Verizon does not want people to use Google Wallet because of their partnership with Isis. Isis will launch the Verizon solution later this year offering options for mobile payments. I have installed the Google Wallet application which is kind of fun. No wallet to pull out of your pocket, just tap your phone on the payment device. This will be very handy with vending machines, gas stations, and restaurants. Other uses can include sharing links and other content when ‘bumping’ a phone with beam technology that is built into ICS. PayPal already has functionality to allow for ‘bump’ payments to another person which could be VERY helpful for many types of transactions.

Battery Life

The stock battery will get a person through a day with little usage and 4G enabled. There is an OEM extended battery with a 13% increase in capacity available. As usual, I went with Seidio for their 3800 mAh extended battery which now also has an NFC option (the antenna is built into the battery on the CDMA/LTE device). The extended battery from Seidio has no problem getting me through a day of use.

Conclusion

Having the latest release of Android is a fun benefit of the Galaxy Nexus. Add in the wonderful screen and nice look of the device and this phone is a legitimate contender for one of the top devices in Verizon’s lineup right now. I have been running a leaked patch version (4.0.4) which has helped with the signal performance, overall performance of the device, and some bug fixes. I was not confident enough to take the GN over the Rezound when I first moved to Verizon. This device upgrade ‘error’ that allowed me to have both devices has been a nice bonus 🙂

***Update 6/7/12 – I have primarily been using my Rezound due to Galaxy Nexus reception issues and a known “muting” during calls issue. I wanted badly for this phone to be my primary device but it fails to deliver when I need it most.

Versus the HTC Rezound

While I find myself leaning towards the GN more and more for regular daily use, I still come back to the Rezound when I know that I have a long day and need reliability of signal and voice quality/volume. I consider the Rezound to be my workhorse. I am very curious how the GN performs when I go to the cabin this summer. The benefit of the Rezound having simultanious 3G voice and data is very beneficial for having to work when I am at the lake without LTE coverage. Because of this, I may end up using the Rezound often when at the lake.

Categories
Tech

My first Google Plus Hangout

Today I noticed that Mashable was holding a hangout so I joined with my Galaxy Nexus smartphone and was very impressed with how smooth everything was. As different people traded thoughts on a subject, the current speaker would come into view. The video and audio quality was very impressive on my LTE connection.

I think this technology could be a lot of fun for disconnected sports fans who want to hangout (ha ha).

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Categories
Tech

Making payments with my phone

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I used my Galaxy Nexus phone and Google Wallet application the other day to pay for my meal at McDonald’s. The technology that makes this possible is near field communication (NFC). It was not a perfect experience as the first attempt failed but the second attempt went through. The guy at the counter was a little confused to what i was doing and was even more surprised when my meal was suddenly paid for 🙂

I know that some people have reservations about this technology worrying that bumping into someone can cause a charge against their credit card. The good news is that a pin is required to make payments and in the case of Google Wallet and MasterCard, they have consumer protection to address these concerns.

I look forward to using this technology which already exists at Best Buy, BP Stations, CVS, Home Depot, and McDonald’s among others. There is a good chance that technology will be included in the next iPhone which will really blow up this market. It will be interesting to see how phone manufacturers and carriers handle this technology and try to capture revenue from these technologies.

Categories
General Tech Video Games

Gunnar Glasses Review

I visited my optometrist before the end of the year to burn up my remaining flex dollars. After my eye exam and the good news that my vision is still good with no real reason to get prescription glasses, I explained that I have been suffering from headaches at work. Starring at my screen for a good part of the day and having florescent bulbs overhead tweaks my eyes out and I would go home with headaches a few times a week. The doctor told me to ‘hear her out’ and began to explain that there are glasses that were developed for ‘gamers’ who play games for many hours at a time and that they have had good results with professionals with eye strain related to computer use.

The doctor handed me off to a sales person who lead me to a case with a variety of glasses with a yellow tint to them. He began to explain to me a coating that blocks some of the light and how the yellow helps to soften the colors on my computer screen. I decided to pickup a pair figuring that anything was worth a try. I tried on a few pairs of these glasses and settled on the Emissary model. By default I was told that these glasses have half of the power of the lowest reading ‘cheaters’ but that they are also available via prescription as well.

After two weeks of use, I am happy to report that I have not went home with a headache! In fact, I felt a headache coming on during an all day meeting in a room with florescent lighting, I put my new glasses on and avoided it. I now find it interesting that when I take my Gunnars off at work, my screen seems very LOUD to my eyes.

While at the office, I do get plenty of questions about my yellow tinted glasses. Hopefully at least one person that I educate about Gunnars can help themselves avoid headaches.

Categories
Tech

A review of Verizon’s HTC Rezound

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When I recently switched to Verizon I wanted the yet to be released and long delayed Samsung Galaxy Nexus to be my end state phone but started with the HTC Rezound and a 30 day exchange policy that offered flexibility for acquiring the Nexus at a later time. My two previous devices had been HTC phones, I was very happy with both my EVO and EVO 3D but had always wanted the very vibrant Samsung AMOLED screen technology. After having the Rezound and being very satisfied with it for two weeks, the Nexus finally launched and I was at Best Buy on release day to exchange for my Rezound. The lure of the new Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS, the screen, NFC technology, and speed of the Nexus were very nice but I was experiencing horrible battery life and the signal quality did not seem to be on par with the Rezound. So, I went back to the Rezound after only two days and have not looked back.

Build Quality
The Rezound is a solid phone as I would expect from HTC. It feels very good in my hand and is weighted nicely.

HTC Beats
I looked at the Beats headphones as a bonus item just like I did with the 3D feature on my EVO 3D. After trying them a few times, I have really grown to enjoy having them for listening to music and for conference calls. I was very impressed a few weeks ago in the airport as I was able to walk around a loud and busy concourse without having problems hearing the call because of the way that they act as ear plugs and block out the other noise. The earplug design works well on the airplane and are much more portable than my Panasonic noise cancelling headphones. I would say that the only downfall here is that the Beats equalizer only works on the default HTC music app and not third party music players such as Google Music, Pandora, or Slacker.

Performance
This phone has performed very well. I am not a big gamer but I do watch movies when traveling and this phone never misses a beat no matter what I am doing in the background. I hope that the Rezound performs well once upgraded to Android 4.0. A bonus feature on the Rezound is simultaneous 3G voice and data which will come in handy up at the lake when I need to work. From what I understand, this functionality is pretty limited on Verizon to only the Thunderbolt and Rezound.

HTC Sense
While I am not the biggest HTC Sense launcher fan and favor Launcher Pro and Go Launcher, I do like the contact linking, camera software, and overall integration that HTC Sense offers. The gallery software includes my Flickr account and I can easily browse Facebook albums. The music player has some added functionality of importing album art and offers some music shopping capabilities.

For some reason, Verizon crippled the themes and scenes downloads offered on the EVO 3D. It was fun mixing it up a bit once in a while.

Camera
The 8MP camera on the Rezound is the best that I have used on a phone and was another reason that I went back to the Rezound over the Nexus. The pictures from this device are crisp and the customization that HTC put in their camera software is great. There is a timer mode, panorama shots, full 1080P video recording, and fun effects that can be added to photographs. There is also a feature that allows auto uploading to Facebook or Flickr (for some this will be a duplicate effort when using Google+). The Galaxy Nexus does have zero lag picture taking and the Rezound is not far behind. The pictures snap much faster than either of my EVO’s.

Screen
The screen is full 720P and looks beautiful. Compared to the Nexus, the colors look very natural and do not have the blue hue of the AMOLED screens. The screen can be seen in the sunlight but like any LCD screen, the brightness has to be turned up. Reading text on this device is awesome and there is no problems with pentile technology that plagues the Bionic and RAZR.

Battery Life
As I have done for all of my Android devices, I went out and purchased the extended battery for this phone. This battery is offered by Verizon at 2750 Mah which is not quite double the capacity of the original battery. It does add some bulk to the Rezound but it is a small price to pay to get me through a work day with email, SMS, phone calls, and 4G on full time.

Conclusion
All around, the Rezound it is a great phone that gets me through a day of heavy work and travel, it is reliable, and fun to use. The Beats earbuds are a bonus that I have enjoyed very much. The camera is great for capturing memories and the multimedia performance is wonderful. I really like this phone and think that it is a keeper (until the next great thing comes along). 🙂

Categories
Friends

3rd Annual Northern Lights Party

We celebrated for a third year with great friends and music.

Click here to view all the pictures

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