As I'm going through all the old posts on EDBv1, I'm realizing that there are things I just haven't updated about - my NAS being one of them.
Earlier this year (2014) Synology released DSM 5.0 for most of their NAS products (some of their products did not fit the DSM 5.0 requirements), and while there were quite a few changes, there is one main one that I was pretty ecstatic about after reading it.
The update was the "QuickConnect" feature that was added, which allows an even easier set-up to access the NAS from the internet. Basically, you register for a MyDS account (which is free) then register a QuickConnect ID (also free), then use the link of "http://QuickConnect.to/[QuickConnect ID]" to connect to the NAS.
The only problem with QuickConnect is that it is based off of the NAS's external IP address, so if your modem's external IP is DHCP and is leased a new IP address after a reboot or disconnect (like I used to have), the QuickConnect link will stop working until you reset the QuickConnect link. So after testing it out, I turned it off, since I didn't really need to access my stuff outside of my house.
It was about mid-September when the phone company came to fix the phone and also fixed the internet connection as well (supposedly, the wires for the internet was loose), and so I decided to turn QuickConnect back on, since it's nice to be able to get files when I'm at my best friend's place (provided the files are on the NAS XD).
QuickConnect is very nice and so much easier than the alternative way - thank Synology for their hard work.
30 October 2014
Trying something new / HP Sprout
While reading Forbes article on HP's Sprout computer, I decided I would give writing my thoughts and feelings on any technology articles that I find interesting enough to talk about. It's something to try out, but it should make my blog a bit more active, seeing that the only active part would be Linux testing/tinkering.
Without further ado, let's begin!
The article I've read is Forbes' "If Da Vinci Had A Desktop, It Would Be HP's $1,899 Sprout".
While I was scrolling through articles on Google Play Newsstand, the image caught my eye, as it depicts (presumably) an artist writing in cursive with his finger on a white mat (I later found out that it was an artist while viewing the article on the desktop). The article title was probably next to capture my attention, as I was wondering what the author meant.
I got a better understanding of the Srout as I began to read the article - the Sprout is an all-in-one computer that uses a combination of touch-screen and a special mat. The mat sits in front of the Sprout and has sensors inside it to capture input (fingers/styli), while also being the area for the embedded projector to project the digital workspace.
Above the monitor is a fixture that houses the camera and projector that scans and displays the workspace, respectively.
The two main sources of input for any digital artist is a mouse and/or graphics tablet (using either or both); I, myself, have a graphics tablet made by Wacom, so I'm pretty familiar with how it feels to use the graphics tablet as a source of input.
I thought it is a pretty interesting concept, and thought the price was a bit steep for something of that sort, but now that I think about it, it doesn't seem that bad of a price. More specifically, it has a touch-screen all-in-one computer, a "scanner", a projector, a "graphics tablet", and a customized version of Windows 8.1 (presumably) all into one package (technically two counting the mat); I'm sure building something similar would come out to around the same price, which is why I call it a fair price.
I don't particularly like the fact that the projected display and the monitor is a mirrored view, although I do understand why it is, and while most of the things can be done with the touch-screen, the touch-screen doesn't have the pressure sensitivity that the mat does.
While I do like the ideas, I feel that I'd rather stick with a graphics tablet (most of Wacom's tablets have touch capability) and all-in-one, as it pretty much would be the same thing. I'd definitely like to play with it, but I wouldn't buy it and probably wouldn't recommend it either.
It's impossible to say how the sales will go, but I think it'll be a niche market - artists looking for a new computer and technology-collectors being the presumed main buyers.
The video (as stated in the article) shows the system in action, and is why I think it's not much different from using a graphics tablet (that accepts touch input), though the "scanner" is something different from the usual flat-bed scanners that can only scan 2D objects.
Again, it's an interesting idea, but I think it could definitely be improved to become "truly new", but it just seems slightly gimmicky to me.
Without further ado, let's begin!
The article I've read is Forbes' "If Da Vinci Had A Desktop, It Would Be HP's $1,899 Sprout".
While I was scrolling through articles on Google Play Newsstand, the image caught my eye, as it depicts (presumably) an artist writing in cursive with his finger on a white mat (I later found out that it was an artist while viewing the article on the desktop). The article title was probably next to capture my attention, as I was wondering what the author meant.
I got a better understanding of the Srout as I began to read the article - the Sprout is an all-in-one computer that uses a combination of touch-screen and a special mat. The mat sits in front of the Sprout and has sensors inside it to capture input (fingers/styli), while also being the area for the embedded projector to project the digital workspace.
Above the monitor is a fixture that houses the camera and projector that scans and displays the workspace, respectively.
The two main sources of input for any digital artist is a mouse and/or graphics tablet (using either or both); I, myself, have a graphics tablet made by Wacom, so I'm pretty familiar with how it feels to use the graphics tablet as a source of input.
I thought it is a pretty interesting concept, and thought the price was a bit steep for something of that sort, but now that I think about it, it doesn't seem that bad of a price. More specifically, it has a touch-screen all-in-one computer, a "scanner", a projector, a "graphics tablet", and a customized version of Windows 8.1 (presumably) all into one package (technically two counting the mat); I'm sure building something similar would come out to around the same price, which is why I call it a fair price.
I don't particularly like the fact that the projected display and the monitor is a mirrored view, although I do understand why it is, and while most of the things can be done with the touch-screen, the touch-screen doesn't have the pressure sensitivity that the mat does.
While I do like the ideas, I feel that I'd rather stick with a graphics tablet (most of Wacom's tablets have touch capability) and all-in-one, as it pretty much would be the same thing. I'd definitely like to play with it, but I wouldn't buy it and probably wouldn't recommend it either.
It's impossible to say how the sales will go, but I think it'll be a niche market - artists looking for a new computer and technology-collectors being the presumed main buyers.
The video (as stated in the article) shows the system in action, and is why I think it's not much different from using a graphics tablet (that accepts touch input), though the "scanner" is something different from the usual flat-bed scanners that can only scan 2D objects.
Again, it's an interesting idea, but I think it could definitely be improved to become "truly new", but it just seems slightly gimmicky to me.
Triela 2
I found that I never wrote about the Intel Wifi+Bluetooth card that I talked about a while ago. I did order it and tested it out, but was still unable to get the wifi to work. I think the Mini-PCIe slot for the Wifi is just locked to two modes - on and off - since I remember reading something about having to use the function key to toggle the Bluetooth on, which never happened.
Another thing I never wrote about was the Mini-PCIe to USB 3.0 converter that I wanted to use to hide the Logitech USB dongle and free up one of the USB ports. After getting it, I was unable to get it to work at all, and since I was at my best friend's house, I didn't feel like doing any extensive testing (along with the fact that I was already tired from the testing I already did).
After getting home, I used an Intel Wifi+Bluetooth card that he gave me (it didn't work in his Lenovo, and it was too late for him to RMA it) to test out the extra Mini-PCIe slot. It didn't appear, even with taking the stock Wifi card out of it's slot; I even tried the stock Wifi card in that extra slot, which still didn't work. I'm guessing the slot is disabled by the firmware or by the controller, seeing as that it doesn't work; the only other possibility is that it's actually a mSATA port, but I did quite a bit of research to disprove that, so I highly doubt it.
While I wanted to RMA it, I had already broken off part of the adapter so that it would fit into the slot, and I don't think Amazon would like me returning it in that condition. I'm sure the card works, but I just don't have anything to test it with. For now it'll just occupy that extra Mini-PCIe slot in Triela.
Another thing I never wrote about was the Mini-PCIe to USB 3.0 converter that I wanted to use to hide the Logitech USB dongle and free up one of the USB ports. After getting it, I was unable to get it to work at all, and since I was at my best friend's house, I didn't feel like doing any extensive testing (along with the fact that I was already tired from the testing I already did).
After getting home, I used an Intel Wifi+Bluetooth card that he gave me (it didn't work in his Lenovo, and it was too late for him to RMA it) to test out the extra Mini-PCIe slot. It didn't appear, even with taking the stock Wifi card out of it's slot; I even tried the stock Wifi card in that extra slot, which still didn't work. I'm guessing the slot is disabled by the firmware or by the controller, seeing as that it doesn't work; the only other possibility is that it's actually a mSATA port, but I did quite a bit of research to disprove that, so I highly doubt it.
While I wanted to RMA it, I had already broken off part of the adapter so that it would fit into the slot, and I don't think Amazon would like me returning it in that condition. I'm sure the card works, but I just don't have anything to test it with. For now it'll just occupy that extra Mini-PCIe slot in Triela.
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