Executive Zipped Folio Case 7" For Tablets Review

For my HP Stream 7 Tablet that I previously reviewed I needed a case to keep it safe an looking like new. As I wanted the case before the Christmas break I looked on eBay & decided to pay a little more for a case than the regular flip cases as the regular flip cases were from Hong Kong and wouldn’t get to me until January.

I found a wallet style flip case for 12.59 GBP that was guaranteed to come before Christmas. The case is a Universal one like the regular flip cases that are also for sale on eBay, so it doesn’t have a cut out for the rear camera & the Tablet is secured by for elastic straps at the corers.
Executive Zipped Folio Case For 7″ Tablets

The case can be use like a flip case, in tent mode to allow viewing of videos & since the case is zipped the flip cover can be folded back and zipped allowing for full Tablet use. The tablet is attached to a thin but sturdy flap that flips up to reveal a mesh pocket that can be used to store USB Flash Drives, Headphones, styluses & other small accessories that you might need.

The case also comes with a Stylus so you don’t need to purchase one unless you already have them to hand.

Conclusion


The case is an ideal accompaniment for any 7″ Tablet be it Windows or Android, but it’s probably not suitable for the iPad Mini due to the iPad Mini isn’t bang on 7″.
Roland

Living In The Cloud: 1 Year on

After spending a year living in the Cloud it’s been a very enjoyable experience that will pobably continue for many years to come as it fits my workflow & usage 100%. As a blogger I need to work in the Cloud so it’s something that I have to do on a regular basis anyway.
{Break}
While lliving in the Cloud takes away the convenience of having locally installed applications it has ment that my Laptop bag is now smaller and lighter as I use an 11.6” Acer C720 Chromebook which has all the benifit of a Laptop in an Ultrabook format without having to pay the premium that an Ultrabook costs.



I take my Chromebook with me just about everywhere and it’s a pleasure not having to carry a heavy Desktop replacement Laptop around with me as it’s nice and light. When I’m at home the same evice gets used as my Desktop.
[Pic (acb)]
All the programs that I regularly used on my Desktop replacement are available as web apps including Microsoft Office. For the ones that are not available in web app form like Photoshop, Premier Pro & Visual Studio I use my Desktop Replacement and Remote Desktop into it from my Chromebook using Chrome Remote Desktop.

Microsoft Office Online

Chrome Remote Desktop


Conclusion

Living in the Cloud is pretty easy to do as long as yoou can live with the limited amount of things that youo can do whilie Offline. If you already do alot of Online stuff like YouTube, Social Media & blogging then living in the Cloud is relativly easy to do.

Roland

Home Office Set-up Christmas 2014

My Home Office setup isn’t like the video tours that you see on YouTube, it used to similar at one time. It’s now a lot more modest and minimalistic, but it works well for me.   So here’s my text and picture tour of my Home Office as it didn’t seem worth while doing a YouTube video.

I’ve rearranged the living room and pressed into service as the main desk the desk that housed the printer in the previous setup. I’ve got my Acer C720 Chromebook sitting on a Laptop Riser on the desk with my desk lamp to the right of my Chromebook & a picture taken on my wedding day to the left.

Laptop Riser with 3 Cooling Fans & 4 Port USB Hub


On the Keyboard tray I’ve got a 2.4 GHZ Wireless Keyboard & Mouse and nothing else.

Under the desk I’ve got my file box, a shredded, a box of mostly computer stuff and the case for my Toshiba Notebook.

2.4 GHZ Wireless Mini Keyboard & Mouse

Round the back of the main desk it is pretty wire free as the only viable wire on the floor is for one of the rear speakers to my Surround System as all the desk wiring is tied to the frame of my desk using zip ties. The only cables that are tied to my desk is the wire that comes from my desk lamp which uses the back frame & the back of the right hand leg, while the cable for my Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000 USB Headset is tied to the left hand leg of the desk & the power supply for my Chromebook is left free so I can take it with me when I go away with my Chromebook.

Main desk setup

To the left of my main desk is my old custom built PC Tower hat is awaiting rebuilding with more up to date parts, with the case for my Chromebook sitting on it.

Old custom Tower PC used as a table

To the left of my old PC Tower is another desk that is home to my printing station, Toshiba Notebook and router and a Bluetooth headset hanging off of a door handle, inside the desk is a spare printer, printer paper, envelopes, a Microsoft PS/2 Keyboard & blank CD’s & DVD’s. The cable management of this desk isn’t as neat as on my main desk as there is a space under the desk that can’t be seen without having to look round the back of the desk, and since I don’t actually sit at this desk the doors are always shut unless I need to get something from inside the desk. This means that the cables that drop down the back aren’t really seen.

Secondary desk setup

My chair is a standard gas lift chair, but in Leather with a full none adjustable back and arms.

My desk chair

When I’m not at my desk I keep my bag on my chair so that I can keep my Office area tidy.

My Chromebook case still has all the same stuff in it as it did when it was the focus of my Home Office setup, and my Lap desk is stored safely for any time that I need to use my Chromebook on my knee.

I’ve now added an Advent HB212 Powered 4 Port USB 2.0 Hub to my setup that is attached to the underside of my desk.

Advent HB212 4 Port USB Hub

This now gives me the full 4 Ports from my Laptop Docking Station along with one Port from this Hub & my USB 3.0 Port that’s on my Chromebook free as I’ll be connecting My Laptop Docking Station, Headset & Wireless Keyboard & Mouse from 3 of the Ports on the hub as being attached to the underside of my Desk will make it hard to connect & disconnect USB devices from three of the 4 Ports if I just connected my Docking Station to the Hub, as using just 3 of the 4 Ports permanently I can just use a USB extension cable with the Port placed on my Desk to access the fourth Port on the Hub.

I’ve now added a pair of Sony SRS-P10Q Speakers that I’ve had lying around for years to my setup, although the sound quality is lacking in bass compared to the internal Speakers of the Acer C720 Chromebook, it now gives me a choice between the Acer C720 internal Speakers my Microsoft LifeChat Headset and external Speakers depending on my needs.

Sony SRS-P10Q Speakers

I’ve now added a Keyboard Protector to my Acer C720 to protect the Keyboard both when I’m using my C720 as a Desktop Replacement and as a Laptop to keep the Keyboard safe and to protect it against dust and bits getting into the internals of the Laptop through the gaps around the keys.

Acer C720 Chromebook with Keyboard Protector partially installed

I’ve now added a small wall/monitor Headphone hanger to the side of my secondary desk to store my Microsoft Headset when not in use.

Microsoft LifeChat Headset on hanger

My plans for my setup are to add a Monitor on a desk mount, whether or not that the Monitor will hook up directly to my Chromebook via HDMI or use a VGA or DVI to HDMI cable depends on what VESA mount Monitors are available that are compatible with my budget.

Roland

HP Stream 7 Review

The HP stream is a budget Windows 8.1 tablet that is the perfect entry level windows tablet. Especially as Microsoft are doing a year of office for free even if you’ve previously had an Office subscription in the past.


The Stream 7 is capable of running games from the Windows store, it plays Game Dev Tycoon FIFA 15 ultimate Team & Asphalt 8 Airborne flawlessly. The Spotify Desktop app, Paint dot net also work flawlessly.

Even though there is only 32GB of internal Storage it is expandable up to 64GB by adding a 32GB Micro SD Card, but could quite possibly take larger SD cards. You can also add external HDD’s or flash drives using a USB OTG cable. The Micro SD slot is accessed by removing the removable back cover of the Tablet.

Contents of HP Stream 7 box

The 2 megapixel rear camera takes ok pictures in good lighting conditions, but due to the lack of LED flash pictures taken in low light conditions show considerable graining. The 0.3 megapixel front camera isn’t of good enough quality to use for anything other than for video chats on Skype & maybe even good enough for use for Google Hangouts, but for use as a selfie Camera or Vlogging Camera for YouTube then I’d ether attempt to use the rear camera or use a phone or iPod Camera.

The full spec can be found here.

Conclusion

The HP Stream 7 is an excellent Tablet for the money, and I’d recommend it as a first Windows Tablet, or for anyone that wants a small portable device with all the benefits of Windows without having the weight of size of a Laptop or Ultrabook.

Roland

  

LibreOffice on rollApp Vs Google Drive

LibreOffice on rollApp gives you the fully functioning LibreOffice Suite on your Chrome OS device like you get when you use Microsoft Office Online or Apple iWork iCloud Beta, but as it’s streamed from the rollApp website you have to be online while using it like you have to when using Microsoft Office Online or Apple iWorkk iCloud Beta.

Where as with Google Drive you do get a fully functional Office suite while Offline, but without the ability to change the name of the document, spreadsheet or presentation from the name you give it when you first create it. But you can give it a new name once you’re back online.

Compared to not having the ability to create or edit documents while Offline this little lack of feature is nothing to be worried about as you’ve got the ability to create and edit documents while Offline as if you’re using local programs. Where as with Microsoft Office Online, Apple iWork iCloud Beta & LibreOffice on rollApp you’ve only got access while Online.

Microsoft Office Onlline, Apple iWork iCloud Beta & LibreOffice on rollApp are all derived from Desktop suites, but the Onlie variants don’t work Offline making them a little redundant on a Cloud device like Chromebooks, Chromeboxes & Chromebases.

LibreOffice on rollApp has one big benifit in giving you access to LibreOffice on Chrome OS devices, the same with Office Online and iWork iCloud Beta, but they also allow Linux to use iWork and Office & Windows to use iWork not only Chrome OS devices.

Conclusion

LibreOffice on rollApp is ok if you really need access to LibreOffice ilke with Microsoft Office Online or iWork iCloud Beta, but if you need to create and edit documents while Offline then you really need need to use Google Drive with your Chromebook.

Google Drive has one big difference over LibreOffice on rollApp and the other Cloud Office suites is that Google Drive is integrated with the Chrome OS Files App where as LibreOffice on rollApp (insert info), iWork iCloud Beta uses iCloud Drive and Office Online uses Microsoft OneDrive for file storage meaning that you can’t just get to the file to attach it to an email which is a bit of an inconvenience to the user.

Roland

New App Launcher Position & Easy Unlock Launched in Latest Developer Channel Release Of Chrome OS

New app launcher position

In the latest developer build of Chrome OS Version 41.0.2243.0 dev (64-bit) Google has made the centered app launcher that has been available for a while under a flag the default launcher position, and while the flag still exists to enable the centered launcher it’s inactive as flipping it to disable doesn’t do anything.

The new app launcher has the search box along the top with a big Google logo underneath it, with your recently used apps running from left to right and an all apps icon on the far right.

New chrome OS app launcher layout

In my opinion the recent apps list is a bit redundant as the shelf seems the most logical place to pin apps that you use frequently & having them on the launcher Homepage when you’ve used them seem a bit pointless, maybe adding a setting in Settings to exclude apps pinned to the Shelf from the recent apps could be implemented.

The all apps page is certainly better as you can get more apps, folders or both on one page.

New all apps page

This new style could have quite easily been implemented while keeping the old layout simply by widening the app launcher and adding the new Homepage instead of doing a Microsoft and moving the app launcher from the bottom left to the middle. This move could quite easily be a repeat of what Microsoft faced when they pulled the Start Menu for the Start Screen in Windows 8.

Easy Unlock

Easy Unlock has been activated by default in this Dev Build, but as it requires an Android 5.0 device to work then I’ve been unable to try it.

Bugs


So far I’ve found three bugs in the build. The English GB Keyboard Layout is exactly the same as the English US Layout meaning that the pound symbol is no longer available in the GB Keyboard Layout and the @ symbol and ” are in the US positions.
The Search key only opens the app launcher intermittently along with the Windows Key on my Wireless Keyboard doing the same thing.
 The Caps Lock combination Alt+Search no longer works, but the Caps Lock Key on my Wireless Keyboard still works all be it without the Caps Lock icon popping up in System Tray.

Conclusion


These three bugs and the killer for productivity in the new location for the app launcher this build seems pretty solid so far.
I’d like to see the System Tray & Notification Centre relocated to the top right hand side of the Desktop and turning the shelf into a full length dock for icons, as you don’t get much space for icons on the shelf using the standard screen resolution.
Roland
 


The Setup Of A Tech Blogger

I like to keep my blogging setup pretty clean and simple & basically use two Laptops & a tablet spread over two desks. My main desk consists of my Acer C720 Chromebook on a cooling Docking station with my 2012 Asus Google Nexus 7 just in front providing live stats from my Blog & wireless Keyboard & Mouse on the Keyboard tray.

Main Blogging Desk Setup
My second Desk holds my Toshiba Satellite C660-15R Windows Laptop that usually has my Blog up on it when I’m writing for the Blog, unless I’m doing a quick Article, like this one as I messed up on the scheduling and put two Articles out on Monday instead of putting one out automatically today.
I’d really like to have a 21.5″ Monitor on a desk mount for my main Monitor with my Chromebooks screen being used for ether having the site on or the live stats, but at present this current setup seems to be working pretty well for me.
for an in-depth look at my current setup please see My Home Office Set-up December 2014 for a complete look at my current setup.
Roland 

My Home Office Set-up December 2014

My Home Office setup isn’t like the video tours that you see on YouTube, it used to similar at one time. It’s now a lot more modest and minimalistic, but it works well for me.   So here’s my text and picture tour of my Home Office as it didn’t seem worth while doing a YouTube video. The storage part of my Home Office is an old Computer desk that houses a Box of Printer Paper, a Shredder, a Box of Envelopes and a brown box that has some Computer stuff on the bottom shelf, the Keyboard drawer has an old Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard while the top shelf has a Printer Organizer with mostly odd bits of scrap paper and the charger for my Asus Google Nexus 7, Bluetooth headphones and my Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000 USB Headset & on top of it I’ve got my Kodak esp 1.2 AIO Printer.

Printing station
Printing station

On the floor in front of the desk I’ve got a locking filing case that I keep all of my important paperwork and weekly bus pass in.

Filing area
Filing area

Now onto the main part of my Office. My work area is a two-seater sofa where my Targus Slimline Netbook Case lives.

Tech storage
Tech storage

The front pocket mainly holds Headphones and Memory cards along with my 32GB Samsung SD Card, Pens, my Samsung Galaxy SIII Mini, a keyboard dusting brush and the charger for my Acer C720 Chromebook.

Accessory storage
Accessory storage

The main compartment holds my Acer C720 Chromebook in an iPearl hard shell full body cover, my Asus Google Nexus 7 (2012), External USB 3.0 HDD and the power cord for my Acer C720 Chromebook.

Main storage 2
Main storage

The great thing about this setup is that I’m always ready for going on the road, as all I’ve got to do is attach the shoulder strap for my Targus Slimline Netbook Case and I can leave the house with my bag.

Static to mobile office with the case shoulder strap
Static to mobile office with the case shoulder strap

This probably isn’t one of the best Home Office set-ups around but a Home Office isn’t always about large desks and dedicated room, but something that can go from static to mobile office and as long as your setup works for you, and ever since I started my blog in 2010.

Here is a couple of pictures showing how versatile my Home Office setup is.

Home Office
Home Office

Mobile Office
Mobile Office

Since I originally did my Home Office tour post I’ve now added a Desk to my setup in the form of a Laptop tray, This is a handy little Desk as it has a powerful LED Desk Lamp built-in along with a Pen/ Pencil Holder and a Cup Holder.

Laptop Tray Desk
Laptop Tray Desk

The Laptop Tray has a fleece underside attached to the Tray & is filled with bean bag beans meaning that it’s comfortable on your knee, it also has a compartment in the bean bag base for the battery pack of the LED Lamp & it even has a carry handle on it.

The Desk can also be used for handwriting in a notebook e.t.c. but I also use it for addressing envelopes and folding letters as well as for a Desk for my Chromebook.

Since my last update I’ve added an old possibly 2nd gen iPod Touch, a Fitbit Flex charging dock, a spare iPhone USB Charging brick, a Huawei E5330 Mobile Hotspot along with its USB charging cable, Huawei E5330 Mobile Hotspot Charging Brick, a pair of Apple Earpods & a pair of Beats by Dr. Dre  urbeats.

Huawei E5330 Mobile Hotspot
Huawei E5330 Mobile Hotspot
2nd Gen iPod touch
2nd Gen iPod touch

Fitbit Flex Charging Dock
 Fitbit Flex Charging Dock

iPhone Charging Brick
iPhone Charging Brick
Beats by Dr. Dre urbeats
Beats by Dr. Dre urbeats
Apple Earpods
Apple Earpods

My updated original Home Office setup is outlined above to make describing my setup changes easily.

I’ve rearranged the living room and pressed into service as the main desk the desk that housed the printer in the previous setup. I’ve got my Acer C720 Chromebook sitting on a Laptop Riser on the desk with my desk lamp to the right of my Chromebook & a picture taken on my wedding day to the left.

Laptop Riser with 3 Cooling Fans & 4 Port USB Hub


On the Keyboard tray I’ve got a 2.4 GHZ Wireless Keyboard & Mouse and nothing else.

Under the desk I’ve got my file box, a shredded, a box of mostly computer stuff and the case for my Toshiba Notebook.

2.4 GHZ Wireless Mini Keyboard & Mouse

Round the back of the main desk it is pretty wire free as the only viable wire on the floor is for one of the rear speakers to my Surround System as all the desk wiring is tied to the frame of my desk using zip ties. The only cables that are tied to my desk is the wire that comes from my desk lamp which uses the back frame & the back of the right hand leg, while the cable for my Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000 USB Headset is tied to the left hand leg of the desk & the power supply for my Chromebook is left free so I can take it with me when I go away with my Chromebook.

Main desk setup

To the left of my main desk is my old custom built PC Tower hat is awaiting rebuilding with more up to date parts, with the case for my Chromebook sitting on it.

Old custom Tower PC used as a table

To the left of my old PC Tower is another desk that is home to my printing station, Toshiba Notebook and router and a Bluetooth headset hanging off of a door handle, inside the desk is a spare printer, printer paper, envelopes, a Microsoft PS/2 Keyboard & blank CD’s & DVD’s. The cable management of this desk isn’t as neat as on my main desk as there is a space under the desk that can’t be seen without having to look round the back of the desk, and since I don’t actually sit at this desk the doors are always shut unless I need to get something from inside the desk. This means that the cables that drop down the back aren’t really seen.

Secondary desk setup

My chair is a standard gas lift chair, but in Leather with a full none adjustable back and arms.

My desk chair

When I’m not at my desk I keep my bag on my chair so that I can keep my Office area tidy.

My Chromebook case still has all the same stuff in it as it did when it was the focus of my Home Office setup, and my Lap desk is stored safely for any time that I need to use my Chromebook on my knee.

I’ve now added an Advent HB212 Powered 4 Port USB 2.0 Hub to my setup that is attached to the underside of my desk.

Advent HB212 4 Port USB Hub

This now gives me the full 4 Ports from my Laptop Docking Station along with one Port from this Hub & my USB 3.0 Port that’s on my Chromebook free as I’ll be connecting My Laptop Docking Station, Headset & Wireless Keyboard & Mouse from 3 of the Ports on the hub as being attached to the underside of my Desk will make it hard to connect & disconnect USB devices from three of the 4 Ports if I just connected my Docking Station to the Hub, as using just 3 of the 4 Ports permanently I can just use a USB extension cable with the Port placed on my Desk to access the fourth Port on the Hub.

I’ve now added a pair of Sony SRS-P10Q Speakers that I’ve had lying around for years to my setup, although the sound quality is lacking in bass compared to the internal Speakers of the Acer C720 Chromebook, it now gives me a choice between the Acer C720 internal Speakers my Microsoft LifeChat Headset and external Speakers depending on my needs.

Sony SRS-P10Q Speakers

My plans for my setup are to add a Monitor on a desk mount, whether or not that the Monitor will hook up directly to my Chromebook via HDMI or use a VGA or DVI to HDMI cable depends on what VESA mount Monitors are available that are compatible with my budget.

Roland

Acer C720 Keyboard Protector Review

I purchased a generic Keyboard Protector from eBay on Black Friday for my Acer C720 to protect its Keyboard when I use my C720 as a Desktop replacement as I use the built in 11.6″ screen as a monitor so it leaves the Keyboard open to get dust particles inside, as well as when I’m on the road and suing it on my knee it again protects from dust particles and liquid splashes.

The protector is like any Laptop Keyboard protector that you can find for MacBooks. the protector is made from a semi-transparent silicone with Black Key Caps with white printed Keyboard letters, numbers, symbols & Chrome OS specific Keys.
The protector does its job perfectly despite having to mentally convert some of the keys to British QWERTY layout from US QWERTY layout namely the at Symbol (@) and double quotes (“) as the protector comes in US QWERTY Layout only. As my Wireless Keyboard has the US QWERTY Layout and not the British QWERTY Layout I’ve gotten used to mentally swapping the two symbols over all the time anyway.
Acer C720 with Keyboard Protector partially applied

With the Keyboard Protector applied it gives the keys a slightly spongy feel meaning that a lot of typing isn’t going to hurt your fingers, as well as adding a better feeling of travel to the keys & I feel like I can type faster with the Keyboard Protector applied than without it due to the soft touch nature of the keys when using the Protector.

Conclusion

I’d definitely recommend a Keyboard Protector to anyone who uses their C720 a lot or for anyone who uses their C720 as a Desktop Replacement and the built in screen as a monitor.
Roland 

iWork iCloud Beta Review

Like its Microsoft Office counter part Apples iWork iCloud Beta is as fully featured as its Offline Mac productivity suite. But considering Apple have slimmed down its Offline versions to keep continuity with the iCloud version.

iWork iCloud Beta is comparable with Google Drive in that it’s Online only if you have anything but a Mac Computer where there is the Offline iWork suite, and also the iOS only iWork suite.

Pages iCloud Beta


Pages iCloud Beta

Pages iCloud Beta has less features than Microsoft Word Online and Google Docs but if you use a Mac and an iOS device regularly and have settled on iWork over Microsoft Office or Google Drive and need access to your Documents on a Windows, Linux or Chrome OS Computer or someone else’s Mac then you’ll feel right at home with Pages iCloud Beta.

Numbers iCloud Beta


Numbers iCloud Beta

Numbers iCloud Beta has less features than Microsoft Excel Online and Google Sheets but if you use a Mac and an iOS device regularly and have settled on iWork over Microsoft Office or Google Drive and need access to your Documents on a Windows, Linux or Chrome OS Computer or someone else’s Mac then you’ll feel right at home with Numbers iCloud Beta.

Keynote iCloud Beta

Keynote iCloud Beta

Numbers iCloud Beta has less features than Microsoft PowerPoint Online and Google Slides but if you use a Mac and an iOS device regularly and have settled on iWork over Microsoft Office or Google Drive and need access to your Documents on a Windows, Linux or Chrome OS Computer or someone else’s Mac then you’ll feel right at home with Keynote iCloud Beta.

Conclusion

If you’ve got access to an iCloud account ether from migrating from a Mac or iOS device and no longer use iWork then I’d seriously consider migrating your documents over to Microsoft Office or Google Drive, as there is no real advantage to using iWork iCloud anymore.
As iWork iCloud Beta is free to anyone with an iCloud account then it’s still handy to use if you require a lightweight Office suite but for serious work I’d consider Microsoft Office Online or Google Drive.
I’ve got an iCloud account through having an iPhone and iPod but very rarely visit the iWork iCloud apps and don’t even have the iOS versions installed on my iOS devices.
Even though iWork iCloud is only currently a beta it’s still a welcome addition to the free Online Office suite collection.
Roland