The Gadgetry Thread

[Tabe]

 

Can you minecraft on a chromebook?

 

That actually was going to be my next question

 

The interwebs seems to imply that you can if you first "root" your chromebook but considering I have no fucking clue what that means...

 

"root" - process by which you install custom firmware or boot loader in order to enable superuser access on a device.  Doing so allows the user to delete software installed by, say, a cell phone provider that you otherwise couldn't.  Also allows the installation of software from sources other than the officially approved marketplace.

 

In the case of cellphones and tablets, "rooting" also allows you to install, for example, pure, generic Android instead of having to rely on the bloated UIs that cell phone companies put on their phones.

[Zimbra]

Motorola has dropped the off-contract price of the Moto X to $400/$450.  I'm thinking I'll get either one of those or a Nexus 5 to replace my S4.  I like the phone but I really hate the Samsung/AT&T shit on it and the non-standard button configuration.

[Craig H]

I'm looking into getting a new TV to connect my Directv, PC, and consoles to, but I'm running into a lot of back and forth about what I should get. I want to get a 39" TV, but people on the PC side say to not get a TV and instead get a monitor. Others say that the TV needs to be 1080p and be 120hz if you're going to use a PC on it. I already know TV and game consoles will work regardless, but it's the PC performance that I'm concerned about. I'll be doing gaming on the TV, like playing DOTA 2, Civ 5, etc.

[Joe Lucia]

I got an iPhone 5S today (LOLOLOL APPLE), and I love it. Best Buy had them on sale for $125 and I had a $10 reward...I had issues paying $99 for a plastic phone, and issues paying $199 for the 5S. But splitting the difference? Yeah, I can roll with that. Really like it - much faster than my old 4 and yada yada yada.

 

I also ordered myself a 24" HP monitor since this whole writing thing is going really well and I want to have dual screens, and will be getting a Surface 2 whenever they get back in stock. I can see why Windows 8 would be a pain in the ass on a desktop, but on a tablet, I fell in love.

[Jerry Hattrick]

I'm going to sound stupid when I ask this. I was considering picking up one of those smart TVs that connect to the internet. Are they WiFi or do I need to connect my ethernet cable to it? My modem and router is in my bedroom and I wanted to have the TV in my living room.

[John Austin]

Most should give you an option to do both. But most should be wireless so you should be good to go

[LooseCannon]

I haven't been around for two weeks because I have been on vacation. During that time, I got the Moto X. Laziness paid off, as I was able to get it for $0 at Best Buy (plus an upgrade fee) when I would have paid more the previous week.

So far, I am loving it, although I miss having a physical keyboard. I keep playing with it, doing things like the wrist-twist motion to automatically get to the camera even when I don't plan on taking a picture. And I haven't even set up the touchless stuff yet.

[Ace]

So Windows has announced their version of Siri. If you've played Halo, it might be familiar.

Since Windows gets Cortana, does that mean Google can have EDI?

[Gonzo]

So, my wife and I are going to be in Germany for the next few years, and while traveling is going to be awesome, we need something for those times where I actually have to work and we can't go galavanting around the countryside.

 

We're looking at stuff like Apple TV and Roku to connect to our TV once our stuff arrives. (Because three years of AFN would probably make me throw myself in front of a truck.) Are there any real differences between the two of them? We just basically want the ability to watch our favorite shows from back in the States for the lowest price. We're not Apple snobs or Apple haters or anything, so that doesn't make a difference one way or the other. Sky TV has one, too, apparently, but if we're going to do something like this, I don't know if that's any different and/or better than the Roku/Apple TV. Most of the online "comparisons" I've looked up really haven't been all that clear.

 

Thanks, all!

[Cliff Hanger]

I have trouble not breaking links in iOS for some reason, so I can't easily share the source, but there's been a story floating around about a guy who had his prescription lenses mounted in his Google Glass. After several weeks of no issues (and visiting the same theatre every week, everyone knowing he had them, etc.) someone got scared he was pirating the movie and called the FBI. They marched into the theatre, took his glasses off his head and marched him out for several hours of questioning and, allegedly, intimidation.

I think everyone involved handled this poorly; while we're still developing the etiquette to handle wearable tech with cameras, it be hooves the user to go out of their way to clear it with the theatre before coming in with a camera, even one that's turned off. It's also highly irresponsible for the manager to call the freaking Feds as a first response, when there are obvious alternatives to the "pirate" hypothesis.

The fed should lose his job, with prejudice, on the spot. If your first response is to snatch a person's glasses off their head, without determining whether he needs them to walk safely through a dark theatre, then demand that he walk without them through a dark theatre, you're an idiot and an asshole and the people you police deserve better. Put the bum on the streets ASAP.

We as a culture need to start coming to a consensus about how these are going to work. We need a telltale that will show whether the device is on or not and whether it's recording or not, and as close to impossible to falsify as we can manage. I look at Glass and I see a thousand possibilities for how it can help the severely visually impaired (like myself.). But there's enough paranoia and stupidity out there along with legitimate concerns about behavior, that I fear it'll be smothered in the cradle before we can settle those legitimate questions.

[Bustronaut]

We're finally breaking down and getting cellphones.  I figure my wife'll appreciate an Iphone 5C as an update to her 2nd gen iPod touch, but I'm waffling on whether to get a 2nd iPhone for me or get a Galaxy S4 to dork around with Android.

 

Any thoughts?

[Dank]

Everyone will tell you not to get an Apple product. They're ridiculous and there's zero reason not to get an iPhone.

[Craig H]

As someone who got an iPhone 5 when they came up, and it was my first iPhone, I will say there's almost no reason to get an iPhone. I badly want to switch to a Galaxy S4 or a Galaxy Note, but we had an iPad before getting iPhones, so there's a shit load of apps and other stuff we started on the iPad that has since carried over to the iPhones. Of course, if I give her the iPad once we start dividing up our property, then I'll have zero issues with switching back to an Android phone.

[Zimbra]

I have an S4 that I'm mostly happy with.  It's fast and the screen is big and gorgeous.  Some people take issues with the over-saturated colors on AMOLED screens but I like them.  It has a micro-sd card slot and a removable battery, which are nice.  Google Now is really cool and kicks the shit out of Siri.  The downside is that it comes packed with a lot of Samsung and carrier bloatware that you'll never use and can't easily remove.  Also the 'advanced' features like eye tracking don't work very well and drain the battery when they're on.

 

You might also check out the Moto X, which I've heard really good things about.

[Pete]

Second the S4 love. I've had mine since October and Cindy just popped for one too... learning curve's a shade steeper for her since this is the first Galaxy phone she's had (whereas I'm on like my third or fourth in a row), but that's a minor quibble.

[glfpunk]

I will second the opinion of there being no real reason to get an iPhone. It used to be apps, ease of use, and screen. Now the android app market is so robust apps just aren't an issue and the iPhone has basically fallen behind in every single other category.

I'm on a nexus 5 and love it. Moto X is a good phone also and tons of people love the S4 obviously.

[Zimbra]

Glfpunk, what's the battery life like on your N5 now that you've had it for a while?  That's the one thing that's making me hesitant about getting one.

[Ace]

I got offered a chance to get Google Glass. Somebody gimme $1500.

[Bustronaut]

I saw the "design your Moto X" thing and now I NEED a cellphone with a wood back.

[glfpunk]

Glfpunk, what's the battery life like on your N5 now that you've had it for a while?  That's the one thing that's making me hesitant about getting one.

 

battery life is good.  it's better than what I had on the nexus 4 by a mile and slightly better than what i was getting on the iphone 5.  on a typical day i'd say i use the phone moderate to heavy.  text quite a bit, some web browsing, streaming music for about 30 minutes on the way to work and the same on the way home, rarely any talk time, and then quite a bit of app use like reddit, and some games.  i'll usually get a battery warning around 8 or so at night.  it just depends on what i'm doing on the phone. some games and apps are real battery hogs and others aren't.  I don't generally see a ton of difference in battery life on most phones now though, at least no issues that can't be fixed.  I had a problem when I first got the phone.  Battery drain like crazy.  Went into my processes and running apps to try to find what was going on and for some reason the haptic feedback on key presses was causing the "media server" process to continually run and it drained the shit out of the battery.  So I turned it off.  Problem solved.  

[Tabe]

My wife has a Galaxy Note 3 and loves it.  The screen is fabulous - and huge.  Super-fast phone and works great.  I honestly can't fathom switching to an iPhone.  The app selection is nice but the small screen size would be a dealbreaker for me.

[Craig H]

How does she like using it as a phone? From the reviews I read, that's where the Note 3 seems to falter.

[Bustronaut]

I'm a tad annoyed that it appears I need to be a t-mobile customer for 2 months before I can unlock my SIM slots for free, despite paying full price upfront for both phones.  I guess 2 months is better than 2 years though.

[glfpunk]

If you bought phones directly from Tmobile then they aren't unlocked phones.  Tmobile and most other carriers will unlock them for you but only if you've been a consistent customer typically.  Not many phones you can get unlocked brand new.  But pretty much any phone on the market can easily be unlocked if they don't do it for you.  

[Vincey Greene]

Google sold Motorola to Lenovo.

 

 

I'm very, very disappointed. I suppose it's possible Lenovo stays the course, which would mean I get my much desired Moto X sequel, but - much more likely - I imagine we get cheap Chinese phones with the Moto M slapped on them. I'm not one for jingoism, but it's unfortunate we are losing yet another iconic American brand to the Chinese.