The WordPress Windows App

After spending some time away from using WordPress as my Blogging Service of choice in favour of Blogger, I recently came back to WordPress & wordpress.com in oerticular (as recently as last Saturday 13/02/2016).

Zheino USB 3.0 2.5″HDD/SSD Enclosure Review

Although I originally got the Zheino 2.5″ USB 3.0 HDD Enclosure for use with my Acer C720 Chromebook I’d upgraded my Toshiba Satellite C660-15R Desktop replacement Laptop for the HP Stream 11 Notebook, so this review will be more geared towards use in Windows 10 although it could also be used with Chrome OS, Mac OS X or Linux.

The HP Stream 11 Windows 10 Notebook Vs The Acer C720 Chromebook

After owning the HP Stream 11 Notebook for coming up to a week and the Acer C720 Chromebook for over 2 years I thought I’d do a comparison of both budget Notebook Computers.

Replacing My Toshiba Satellite C660-15 With the HP Stream 11

After having to suffer with a slow Windows experience for some time, that seemed to get better when I updated Windows from Windows 8.1 Pro to Windows 10 Pro. Now with the latest batch ow Windows Insider builds of Windows 10 Pro it seems to be returning to the slowness of when I was running Windows 8.1 Pro.

The HP Stream 7 1 Year on

After using the HP Stream 7 for over a year now I still rate it as an exceptional little tablet for the money, even though the available Storage is a little bit of a let-down once you take the space used by Windows, OS updates, Windows Store apps and Microsoft Office into account.

Integrating An Xbox 360 Into an established Setup

After having my setup just the way I like it with a dual screen setup for my Chromebook & a dual screen setup for my Windows Laptop depending which system I need to use, I recently added an Xbox 360 to my setup. This is how I integrated the Xbox 360 into my setup.

My Current Chrome OS Desktop Layout (September 2015)

After a few months away from writing Articles due to commitments that have made it hard for me to update my Blog I’m back with an update on my current Chrome OS Desktop Layout.

De-Branding & Removing Windows From A Laptop

After having my trusty Toshiba Laptop for about 5 years now I’ve decided to totally De-Brand and remove Windows from it and turn it into a Linux Laptop.

Now when I say totally De-Brand it I’ll leave a little of the original Branding like the Toshiba Branding on the back of the screen cover and on the bottom of the screen Bezel, the intel Celeron inside sticker on the left hand side of the palm rest and all the Toshiba Branded info labels on the underside and just remove the Windows 7 sticker from next to the intel sticker on the palm rest and the well worn Windows Certificate Of Authenticity sticker from the underside of the Laptop.

I then downloaded kubuntu 15.04 from the kubuntu website and then downloaded Universal USB Installer from the Pendrive Linux website. Once everything was downloaded I inserted a 32GB SD Card into the Laptops built in Card Reader and created a bootable kubuntu image to install kubuntu onto  my Laptop.

Once my Laptop was ready I removed the Windows 7 sticker from my Laptop.

Laptop prior to removing the Windows 7 sticker

Laptop after removing the Windows 7 sticker

I then added a Ubuntu sticker that I purchased on etsy.

Ubuntu sticker prior to being added to my Laptop

Ubuntu sticker after being added to my Laptop

I could have just stopped there and left the Windows Certificate Of Authenticity sticker on the bottom of my Laptop, but since it’s well worn it’d spoil my clean looking De-Branded look.

Underside of Laptop prior to removing the Windows 7 Certificate Of Authenticity

Underside of Laptop after removing Windows 7 Certificate Of Authenticity

I could just leave it there but I’m on the lookout for a Ubuntu Keyboard sticker to place over the Windows Start button on the Keyboard.

The Laptop has been upgraded from its original specification to 4GB of RAM, 1TB HDD and an intel Centrino Advanced-N + WiMAX 6250, Dual Stream, Dual Band Wireless card and a new high capacity Battery, but I might add a new Keyboard at the same time as De-Branding the Windows key to make it look cleaner.

Roland

My Home Office Set-up (April 2015)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2nd Gen iPod touch

Fitbit Flex Charging Dock

iPhone Charging Brick

Beats by Dr. Dre urbeats

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

I’ve now added a HP LaserJet Pro P1102w Wireless Mono Laser Printer to my Office setup as my current Kodak esp 1.2 Wireless All In One Colour InkJet Printer wasn’t economical to my Printing needs as it’s impossible to Print in Black and White when the Colour Cartridge is empty meaning that I was replacing the Colour Cartridge twice to every on time that I was replacing the Black Cartridge.

The HP LaerJet Pro P1102w comes with a 700 Page starter Toner Cartridge and as of writing this Article I’ve printed 43 pages and still have got 100% Toner left (but this is being reported by the Printers Web Interface so it could be slightly off,)

The quality of Prints are crisp and clean, but having to use HP ePrint in association with Google Cloud Print to print from my Chromebook very slow compared to Printing via Windows, l but it’s not such a bad trade off when a you consider that a standard Retail Toner Cartridge will print out 1,600 which I probably will take about three to four months to print out that many pages.

HP LaserJet Pro P1102w Wireless Mono Laser Printer I‘ve now added an LG M2262D 22″ Full HD Monitor TV to my setup, it was originally only added to the set up for for seeing what I could do with my old Desktop Tower PC, but since the Power Supply has died on it I’ve shelved that for now. As the TV wasn’t getting used in the Bedroom I’ve decided to use it as a Monitor with my Chromebook, for now it’s just stood on a stack of plastic storage tubs temporarily, but I might put a spare TV wall shelf up to stand it on properly.

LG M2262D 22″ Full HD Monitor TV

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

Putting An Old Desktop PC To Use With Linux (Update)

I was going to put my old Desktop pc to use running Ubuntu Linux on it, but unfortunately after testing it last night and everything worked fine. When I came to install Ubuntu on it this morning I somehow ended up killing the Power Supply after adding a second HDD so I’ll not be able to use it unless I can find a cheap compatible Power Supply for Motherboard that’s inside somewhere so this little project is on hold for now.

When I ran the Ubuntu Live DVD last night to check everything worked I didn’t realise it only had 512 MB of RAM, but until I can do anything with it it’s just back living under my desk.

Roland