How to restore and backup your Timesheet date on the Android OS!

Timesheet Pro: $2.50Backing it up!

I talked about 3 Different Timesheets but I still recommend TimeSheet Pro from Google Play store.  I’ve had nothing but success but I have had one or two problems along the way with this app.  I wanted to discuss this and possibly help people keep their important time information from being lost.   

Before we begin though there are a few things you need to make sure you have a way to backup your times.  You will need to register for a Dropbox account (Again, I get no money for the link other than the possiblity to get 16gb of space on dropbox).  I have yet to figure out how to use it with Google Drive but I am hoping the maker of the app has it planned in the comming weeks! :) It would be so much easier for me since I already have enough space on my Google Drive to keep it safe!

How to Back it up!

Right Now you will need to have your Dropbox account registered and download the Dropbox app.   You will then need to Authorize Dropbox.  You can get to that by going into your settings menu.   The easiest way I can do it by using the Menu button and then select More and then Settings.   Once their you should then go to the Backup menu and that is menu should look like the picture.   

If you want to have two different backup locations such as the cloud and and external SDcard.   You will need to enter the SDcard location.  It can be several ways like:

/storage/external_SD/(folder)

/mnt/sdcard/_ExternalSD/(folder)

/mnt/sdcard/external_sd/(folder)

/mnt/sdcard/(folder)

These are just a few but if you need help figuring out the name of the location of your SD Card, you can use something like Astro File Manager!  I use this all the time when start using a new phone or tablet.

Now since you have setup both your dropbox and ou sd locations.  You will need to test it out if this is your first time, if not you will just have to go to next step.  

Restoring your Information!

Now since you have setup the dropbox.   You will now need to restore the information that you have lost.   If you did not do this in the first place your data probably wasn’t backup and this will be useless but if you did this in the beginning to prevent that then please continue!

You will need to find the location that you have the newest backup of your data, either the external sd card or Dropbox.  You can use Astro File manager to know which dmp file was created the lastest.   Once you’ve found it, you will need to make a copy of the file.  This way if something while restoring you can still have a copy.   

The dmp file should start of with:

(year)(month)(date)_numbers_numbers.dmp

Even I do not know what the numbers mean but you can find the date that is needed to back up and copy to either the cloud or copy from the cloud.   Once you have made a backup of that file.   You will then need to rename the file to “automatic.dmp” and copy it to the location on the sdcard that you’ve told the program were to backup to.  I found this to be the easiest way.  You can however just use the file that is created but I like to keep it from being deleted or used.  

If you have setup the paths the right way and copy the files to the right directory you will see something like this when you click restore on your phone or tablet.   Each time you need to restore, you should follow these directions that way it makes it so much easier and simplier.  If you decided to use the automatic.dmp file, you will have a selection to select the automatic file.   Either way, once your restored your back to where you have left off.  

If I have helped you with this app please consider sharing it and also use my Amazon link whenever you want to buy something from Amazon.  This helps me keep doing the things I love.  A small commission is given to me everytime you use this link to buy products or services from Amazon and you pay nothing more for using it!

Three Timesheet Apps for the Android! (Friday's Pick's)

TimeSheet ( Free ) or ( Pro: 2.50$ )

This is one Application that I have been and still use for my Android ZTE AWE and Kyocera Rise Phones.  I don’t know about the rest of you but I did try the Free version and was really impressed with it.   So I upgraded to the Pro version to help support the developer and also because you get more stuff with the paid version.   

The nice thing about this app is that I can keep track of all my hours and also keep it backed up on Dropbox (I get no money for this link but when I refer enough people, I get up got 16 gb of space!  So please go sign up and help me get the maximum!) or to the SD Card.   So at least I have two ways to do this plus it has a great automatic backup feature to help keep your hours from getting lost!  It keeps track of expenses and travel if your one to be getting paid traveling.   So you can know by the end of the week how much you made and also some other great tools to help you make sure you are short on your next check.

Timesheet - Time Tracker  (Free)

I do not like to do free apps but my friend from work showed me this one and swears to it.   I’ve played around with it and it seems to be a very easy and you really don’t have a lot to fill out.   It can be very useful if all you need to do is track your hours and nothing else.   You can also backup to Dropbox (I get no money for this link but when I refer enough people, I get up got 16 gb of space!  So please go sign up and help me get the maximum!) or a Micro SD card if you wish, so your times will be saved in the cloud!

I personally like the TimeSheet Pro that I paid for because It allows me to enter so much more information and keep track of so much more.

Time Recorder (Free)

I admit, I haven’t played around with this one but it looks promising for two reasons.   You can split tasks and also have more than one option to backup this to.   You have Dropbox (I get no money for this link but when I refer enough people, I get up got 16 gb of space!  So please go sign up and help me get the maximum!)and/OR Google Drive that you can use to keep your time from going missing.   The only problem I see with this is you need plugins that need to be installed to use these two backup features.   It was something the developer, I suspect, couldn’t intra grate with the app very easily.   So that is why I didn’t install this one because of to many plugins that come along with this free version.

I still recommend Timesheet Pro, which is what I use all the time and has worked really well for my needs working as a contractor.   It does what I need to keep track of my time.   Know of a good app that does just this and want to tell people about it.   Leave a comment and tell people your experience with an Time recording app!

How to Root a ZTE AWE phone! (Virgin Mobile)

Cydia Impactor rules!

After getting my ZTE AWE,  I’ve been looking for a way to use the tethering feature that can be useful where I am currently located at!   The only problem is that Virgin Mobile (VM) does not let me pay the 15 dollar tethering charge for using it has a wifi hotspotl  According to them, there is no way to enable this.   So I went searching for ways to enable it.  I have gotten closer to making that happen by BREAKING MY WARRANTY.   According to VM, if I root the device, it voids the warranty of the device.   I kind of think this a small ridiculous rule so it is up to you!

The way I did it was a very easy way to download Cydia Impactor to root your device!  It puts the Super USER binaries on your device and allows them to have any thing on it that you want.   

Steps to root phone:

• Install the ZTE AWE software from phone!  You can do this simply by System Settings —> Connect to PC and selecting Install driver!  (Only needs to be done on Windows or Mac OS!)
• Put the Phone on USB Debug :  System Settings —> Developer Options — > USB Debugging
• You will need to click on the USB menu on Cydia Impactor and select the N800 driver.
• Once your do that you can simply drop the SuperSU Binaries
• Install the SuperSU from ChainFire

Once your have done all this you will have ROOT access.   It is up to you what you want to do but I have found that you have several things that can help monitor your phone and speed it up.   In the coming weeks I will tell you about a few of my favorite apps that work to help keep your phone running smooth!

My Problems with Virgin Mobile and the ZTE AWE!

Virgin Mobile likes to mislead people!

When I was researching this phone, I saw this on their website and thought well it looks to be promising and that I could pay the extra 15$ and be able to teether my phone to my laptop whenever I needed to.  Even though, I am simply am enjoying this new phone of mine.   The idea that they made me believe that I could easily without effort pay them to allow me to teether my phone is simply absurd.   I shouldn’t have to circumvent the new security feature in Android 4.1.2 which  Google decided to break tethering and prevent people from using those so called teether apps.   I have yet to find one that will work.

Calling all Geeks!

I’m going to have to probably root the phone and install a Cyanogen mod on it to be able to use the tethering option on the phone.   I would however like to keep it the way it is.   Rooting the AWE be to much trouble for me right now.   Since I am mainly using a Chrome Book and have yet to install a Linux Distro to the machine.   I’d have to do that first before I could even root the device and you know how that is!

Does Anyone know of an app that will do that without having to break the warranty of the phone as Virgin Mobile told me over the phone?   I would break the warranty if I rooted the phone.   LOL That was a laugh.   If you know of an app in the Google App store please leave a comment and help everyone out who might have the same problem!   

I dropped my Acer A200 on Purpose and I'll tell you why!

I was in the electronic department!

Your probably would never drop your Acer Tablet A200 on the floor purposing to prove a point.  Most people don’t know how Durable the Acer Tablet is and how easily it recovers from drops and falls.   I must admit the tablet did have a Cover on it [Poetic(TM) Stand Leather Case with Angle Adjustable with HandStrap].  The lady was surprised but what she did not know.   I had a great insurance plan for my tablet if it breaks ,however she wasn’t told that.

That was a Bold Move!

I simply believe this Acer Tablet is way better than any Ipad and I like to prove it to people around my community.   I however know what people will say.   Sooner or later you will drop it enough to damage it and I’d have to say your right.  It isn’t unbreakable but built tough and I know how useful this tablet is.  

The End of the Story!

I am sure you probably wondering why I wanted to share this story.   In the end, I helped the lady find a tablet that is best suited for her 3 to 5 year sons.  It however is probably going to be stuck in her mind about this Acer Tablet and my blog.  I happened to tell her about it.  I wanted to reach and find out what happened to that tablet you bought your kids and find out how it is doing?  If your reading this, Let me know and tell me what you think of that tablet!  In the end, I still recommend The Acer A200 Tablet to anyone who wants a cheap durable tablet for your self or your family member.!

Paul Sylvester

How to Tether your Kyocera Rise by Virgin Mobile

It was never Going to be easy!

When I bought this Virgin Mobile Kyocera Rise, I knew they would try to prevent me.  That was one of the reason, I like to have an Unlocked Phone.  I’m went searching through the internet to find the answers to my question.   Some of the common questions, I got where:

Hidden mobile data charges: ethical or not?

Virgin mobile and tethering -charges ?

As you can see these were old post but they did provde me with some very interesting questions about the data usage of tethering and who will be at fault.

The Options!

I am going to give you a few options as to where to look to find the best possible way to tehter your phone to Laptop or Tablet.   I’ve found one or two ways to do it so far and I’ll be more than glad to give you the information that you are seeking for.  Before I begin though:

Information Therein are as IS, The Author will not be held responsible for anything resulting with these applications and services.  You have been warned!

 Some of the Common Applications that I have tried and worked are:

• Easy Tether CE (Lite) — This one works just as great if you intend to use it as an USB connection only.  I had no problems with surfing the web with this app just as long as I kept it hooked up via USB.  Mobile Stream has several different paid apps that allow you to do so much more.  I am impressed with this one!
• WiFi Tether for Root Users — I’ve used this on my HTC Inspire so I know this work on other phones but you would have to root your Kyocera Rise to use this App, although free it would probably void your warranty on your phone!

You can search for other Tethering Apps and try them as you see feet.   I just want to provide you with a few ideas on how to use what your already paying for that data plan.  When I find more I’ll be sure to let you know but for right now these are the ones that I’ve used to tether with success.  

Paul Sylvester

Why companies don't consider Security and how to decode a Barcode!

Weak Security is NO security!

I am working with a company of late that few months and I must say their security is weak to say the least. They use Barcodes to establish who they are and what jobs they are doing.   It seems kinda simplistic to some but to me they are just asking for problems.   Now a days, 90% of people who work have access to some kind of smart phone, whether it be Android or IOS each one has their unique problems but I am not here to talk about their problems but to point out that each one can literally scan a barcode and decode it in a matter of minutes!

How to decode a Barcode!

If your looking to decode a barcode for Android, I can help.  Here are a few that I've found to work really well with any and all barcodes you might have a need for!

• Google Goggles -- This app for the Android is so interesting, I have installed on my phone just to see what would the world be like if we had those on Google Glasses which I suspect is coming soon!
• Barcode Scanner  by ZXing Team -- This is a good little app for those of you who just want to see what the code is and so forth.   It can does 1d, 2d, and QR Codes.   This is also a really useful app for those of you who want to see what the barcode at work really says about you!
• Barcode Scanner by TACOTY CN -- Another one that does basically what others do and it can decode any barcode that you might have to see what it really says about you.   
• Scan by Scan, Inc -- Here is a good tool for reading barcodes.   I really can't say much more than this because they are do basically the same thing 1d, 2d, and QR Codes.   Works really well though!
• ClearImage Free Online Barcode Reader / Decoder -- Although this isn't a app for Android it can be very useful for anyone who has a camera and would like to decode a barcode this way.   No need for a smart phone, just a camera will do that can take digital pictures.

The Problem!

The company I am contracted with thinks this is convenient and probably even thinks no one will abuse this.   I hate to think of who might use this to gain personal information about another worker or even get them fired.   It isn't hard to imagine that someone may go so far as use someone else's barcode just to get them in trouble.   So why use barcodes in business?  This is a constant problem that needs to be fixed ASAP for any business that does this might want to consider changing over to something a little more secure.   In the coming weeks, I'll probably talk about this in more detail but until I fix the problems with this company I can't go into much more detail.   

Paul Sylvester

Why You should Avoid Kiloo Games and uninstall them!

The Story So far!

Recently I found an application that one of the permissions is "Retrieve Running Programs".   I thought this was something of a hoax or even a little strange.   So I wondered what are those Android App Permissions anyways and why would they require this.  I found this great information on a forum website. 

Retrieve running applications
Hardware controls
URI: android.permission.GET_TASKS
Risk: MEDIUM-HIGH
Protection level: DANGEROUS

Official Description
Allows an application to get information about the currently or recently running tasks: a thumbnail representation of the tasks, what activities are running in it, etc.

Details
This permission is of moderate importance. It will allow an application to find out what other applications are running on your phone. While not a danger in and of itself, it would be a useful tool for someone trying to steal your data. Typical legitimate applications that require this permission include: task killers and battery history widgets. Other than that however, most apps should not need this permission.

<Via Androidforums>

So then I sent an email to Kiloo Games asking why this was needed for the game.   Here is their response:

Kiloo Support (Kiloo)

Mar 04 12:21 (CET)

Hi,

Thank you for your inquiry.

Subway Surfers needs that information to make sure no notifications pop-up when you're in other apps.

Best Regards,

Kiloo Support 

Now I find this very interesting and a little percular.  It doesn't sound like this is what it supposed.   If you read what Android Forums said then you would know we've given Subway Surfer permission to snoop on us and they can do what ever they want with that information because we AGREED to it.  

Many Users don't care about this!

While I am not sure who actually care about this.  I am really concerned with my security and privacy.  I don't think any application in their right mind would want to put this permission on any Application.   I think until people start asking questions or removing these applications they will keep doing this so they can build data on what people do when they aren't playing the games they built.   You really want them to get your bank information or for that matter your passwords to other games or applications.

I am asking for a boycott of these types of programs to tell developers we don't want our information to be public and they need to respect this.   If you have this installed on your android device it is best to remove it ASAP and contact them to tell them why you removed their game.   Until we do this they will not listen to us and respect our privacy!

Paul Sylvester

Why Tablets are Booming! [Informational Graphic]

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Tablet's being used in Jobs!

As I was going to make this post up, I had a really good experience with what the Informational Graphic depicts.   As you can see there is a lot going on.  I thought we would at least break this down a little and hopefully make you understand just how they are being used.   If anything we can discuss some of the aspects from some of my previous posts as points to this new booming lifestyle people are taking up.

Mobile Productivity is on the Rise!

Although this isn't hard to believe that people are looking to buy Tabelts for business purposes.  Actually they have started to ask me in my local area which tablet is right for my business.  I have on occassion even helped them consult with them on this very aspect.  So I do know a thing or two about tablets.  I do not know everything about them but I can pretty much help you find the right one for what you may need it for.

Tablets are being used by Youths!

This isn't really a surprise on my part because my niece and nephews are all using 7" tablets right now and they are only 11 years old.  So that part I bet isn't really going to surprise anyone.   I even have a few good gaming apps for the android OS if your wondering.  I really can't say much else about this because I don't really have a lot more to say about this graphic.   It however is quite showing just how much demand there is for tablets in the workplace.  Please feel free and share this with your friends and family.

Paul Sylvester

Reviewing the Kyocera Rise by Virgin Mobile!

What about the HTC Inspire 4G!

I recently had to buy a new phone.   My HTC inspire got broken, sad to say but it does happen.   You know when you have to replace a  phone because of the screen glass is broken, kind of thing you don’t like to see happen.   It does though no matter how hard you try, it will happen eventually on most phones. Thank Good for the Worth Ave Group insurance coverage for Cell Phones, if i didn’t have that it would of been a pain to get this Cell phone.

A lot under the Hood!

There is a lot going on under that hood and I won’t go into much detail about this because I don’t want to bore you with details but what I will tell you is this:

• Google Movies & TV — You can watch any show you own on Google with this little device.   So you can always keep up with shows or movies while on the Go!   I do suggest downloading them whenever possible using WIFI but it is still good to have while on the road!
• Netflix — Although most phones do this it has the screen size to actually do a decent enough job of watching it through it!
• Android 4.0 — I got mine with Android 4.0 but it had to be upgraded in firmware.   That is ok, it still is a nice phone!

The Kyocera Rise From Virgin Mobile is in fact a very good Phone.   I got signal where the HTC never did, although this is a 3G phone, it is still can go a lot more places.   I suspect it is because of the Sprint Network but it is only a guess.

I could go on and on about this phone but in all truth if you aren’t convinced now to buy it then you will never buy it.   I simply love this phone and it is going to be my main phone for quite a while until I can get enough money for even better phone maybe a Samsung Galaxy S3 or S2 from Virgin Mobile or Sprint, now that would be Sweet!

Paul Sylvester

How Facebook can interfere with your life and How to Disconnect from Facebook!

Facebook is so Popular!

When Facebook started in 2005, it wasn't really a big deal.   No one knew what it would be today.  You probably didn't even know about Facebook until two or three years ago.  I would even guess that you were pressured into getting an Facebook account.   Even though you should worry about your Facebook Security Settings, this isn't going be about that.   It however is going to be talking about how to Disconnect from Facebook!

Why Would I want to do that?

There will be some of you who will probably ask this one question and I could give you several answers but there is only one real answer.   Productivity!  Disconnecting from Facebook will make you more productive in anything you do and will keep your attention on what needs to be done.

The Extreme case!

You can delete your account and be totally disconnected from Facebook but that is the worse case scenario and I will not recommend that to anyone even my friends or family.  Although I've heard this happen it isn't the best choice for some of you who like to keep in touch with family members and share photos with.

Disconnect me Please!

This is a services and a plugin that helps block Facebook and others such social sites.   It will help you speed up your browsing and keep your privacy safe so I highly recommend Disconnect.me which was also talked about on Security Now.

Remove all Facebook Apps!

If you have a smartphone and a tablet, this is something that is a must if you want to keep from being interrupted and slowing down your productivity.   By removing these apps from all your devices, you will not get the urge to go check Facebook or have those notifications coming to you.

Finally Check Facebook Once a Day!

If your like me you will undoubtedly want to keep your account and thus you will want to at least check it once a day.   I suggest either morning or night depending on your work or sleep schedule to go online through the web and see what is going on.   I would however say the less you spend on Facebook the easier it is to keep from wanting to be connected with it.   So get on check and get off.   Don't spend to long on their exploring and playing games.    Remember why you did all this and you will be far better off then when you started.

Paul Sylvester

How to Change DNS on a Acer A200 / A500 Tablet!

Fix paging times!

So I have a little problem that I thought would be a good topic to discuss and teach others how to do just in case it happens to to you.   I recently started have page load times slow down and didn’t understand why until I changed the DNS settings on my Acer Tablet!   Seems that it can be kind of tricky to find this out on the web.   

Problems with some DNS Providers!

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Having seen this from time to time, I know that any DNS Provider can have really bad network lag and thus impact your browsing the internet.   You can solve that by changing the DNS to a faster network.  The Problem I’ve been having is not knowing how to do it until recently.  You can change the DNS in your router but that won’t help you if you decide to visit a Hotspot or a Free Wifi.   

The Fix!

If your like me, you may need to do this a couple times to get the hang of it but it is quite simple once you understand how.

Go into your Wireless settings and look for the wifi connection your on or using at the time and just do a Long press until you get a screen that ask if you want to forget the network or modify the network.

Once you click Modify the network, you half way there.   Check the Show Advance Options and change the DHCP to a Static IP.    Once you’ve done that you will see DNS 1 and DNS 2 settings.   I suggest changing them to the OpenDNS Servers : 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220. Although this is simply a suggestion you can any DNS Provider you can think to do the job!

Hope this helps, I will have more tips and tricks later on but this one was something that I thought you might want to know right now!

Chinese Market Over-ruled by Android, iOS Faces Adversaries

Android has certainly become predominantly the operating system with the largest market share. Informa Telecoms, an analytic firm, presented us with much bigger and clearer picture. According to their report the only OS that stands out in the overwhelming competition in China is Android, accounting for two third of all the handsets sold so far in 2012. One out of every three Android devices that was sold in 2012 was sold in China, certainly a big hub of Android lovers.

But to be more specific, out of all the Android devices sold in China 41 percent were the ones that did not run on authentic Android rather had the imitation of the Google’s original operating system. So if we right them off China still holds 20 percent share of all the Android devices sold in 2012 which is pretty impressive.

Statistically speaking, Android holds 85 percent of the market share in China and still growing where as Apple’s iPhone accounts for only 5 percent of the market share and Windows Phone a minimal of 1 percent. Although, the release of iPhone 5 last week in the country was very much promising, selling over 2 million units in the first of week of its release and setting a milestone of best launch of all time of Apple’s smartphone in China. Apple was not only able to establish the pre-ordering process but is now also available on two carriers for the first time.

If Apple is to increase its market share in China it needs to come forth with TD-LTE because the only reason China Mobile, world’s largest carrier, has not been successful in selling iPhone is because of its 3G network. We anticipate iPhone based on TD-LTE to be offered by China Mobile in 2013. And as for Microsoft’s Windows phone, Informa anticipates that its market share will be double to 2 percent in 2013.

As for the US, Informa believes that Apple needs to come up with a better iOS otherwise it will face further decline in its market share because it is not meeting the standards that other high end Android devices are offering. The principal analyst Malik Saadi at Informa Telecoms anticipates that next year around 50 percent of the handsets sold in US will be Android based devices. The report also depicts that Apple might have to go for margin cuts in order to sustain its market share because the even the most diehard fan is realizing that Apple needs to upgrade its iOS. Inform forecasts that in 2013 Apple will be able to sell almost 34 million units which a million less than this year’s sale. Whereas Windows Phone will be accounting for 6.5 percent of the US market as Nokia and HTC are augmenting their marketing strategies and they are also in close relationship with US carriers.

According to an estimate by Informa Android will account for 50 percent of the global market by 2015. But 2016 Android market domination is anticipated to be decline because of other operating systems in the market specifically Windows Phone.

Fahad Majidi is a Paid Contributor for the Paulstechtalk.com website.  Any views of his is his own and not of the website.   Any Links in this article are affiliate links to products mentioned to help support paying for the contributor.

Google Play Movies & TV : What needs to fixed!

Google Play and You!

It hasn't been long since I've moved from Amazon to Google Play, but there seems to be something that needs to fixed.   I'm going to talk about some of the things that Google needs to do and possibly help you out in the same process!  I won't say that I regret the process but there are a few things that could be changed and also fixed.   I'm really am hoping that someone reads this and implements these changes in Google and thus making for a better user experience for everyone.   

Show's don't show up automatically!

When I buy a season on Google Play for shows, it doesn't show up.  I have to clear the cache for the Acer a200 to be able to download the newest episode(s).  

1. Visit Menu > Settings > Apps

2. Tab over to "All"

3. Select the Play Store app, and then tap "Clear cache" and "Clear data"

Please note that after clearing the Google Play Store app data, if you have set a PIN code and/or a content filter, you'll need to re-apply these settings

[Google Play]

This seems to be a lot of trouble everytime you have a new episode that comes out.  I waited a full 24 hours before contacting them about the next episode, so I know that if the app is going to check for new updates it should of done so in the 24 hour period.  It didn't, and I had to do those steps to download the next episode to my tablet.   

It would be nice if Google play would clear the cache every 8 hours or so or when you load it up.   This is a failure on the part of Google to think about customers needs.   

Internal Memory and External Memory!

Something else that seems to be a problem is the ability to use the External SD card to put all my movies or shows on.   I bought a Sandisk Ultra 32 Gb Micro SD card [Affiliate Link] for that one reason, to be able to use it to keep my shows on when I download them.  Google doesn't use this card and keeps all my movies and shows on the internal memory card because it think it is the external Memory card.   It sees it as the sdcard and not anything else.   The External Memory is consider is considered External SD on the tablet and thus nothing will be put on it.  

It would be nice to use the tablet the way I want and not the way they want me to use it.   I have been looking for ways to fix this and if I find one, my readers will be the first to know but I am hoping Google reads this post and fixes these two major problems that I've seen so far.   

Do you know of something that needs to be fixed with Google Play and you want my help, you can always Contact me and tell me what the problem and maybe I will talk about it on my website.

Paul Sylvester

My Amazon Affiliate Link!

Securing your android tablets in Free Wifi Hotspots!

My Acer A200 is Portable!

It isn’t like my Acer Tablet is hard to carry around, Unlike my laptop.   I just want be able to surf the net and what everyone else is doing.   I just worry about what people are seeing when they are at a open wifi hotspot.  So I am going to discuss some ways to protect your privacy and help you keep safe with your new tablet that you have or are getting.  Although if your like me, you have already added a new ROM to your Acer Tablet, so it isn’t like this is brain science to some of you.  

Android VPNS!

Finding the right VPN was never going to be easy but it is someone of a neccessity and I have in the past talk about some of the VPN’s that you could use for Windows, Mac OSX, and Android.   This time however we are going to show you some more apps that might help you with that and make it even easier for you to keep your privacy safe and secure.  If your curious what a VPN is, then please check out the old post about it and there is a great little video that talks about it even more.

Google Play VPN apps that you should look at:

• Hotspot Shield — FREE VPN for your Android Device!* Unlimited Bandwidth! Save money on your data plan. Access blocked sites. Privacy and Security. Most popular VPN with 100 million downloads worldwide.  
• Hideman VPN — 5 Hours / Week for FREE. Earn premium hours via in-app ad networks. Easy solution for privacy and protection via VPN. Connect to VPN in one click with Hideman VPN widget.
• VPN One Click — Vpn One Click protects your privacy online, unlocks all blocked services like Twitter,Facebook,Skype,etc., by connecting to a Virtual Private Network Server. 
• Open VPN for Android — Openvpn for Android. Uses the new VPNService API that requires neither Jailbreak nor root on your Telephone.

Now these are just a few that I could find.   I don’t like messing with these apps so I will give you some other options as to have free wifi VPNS.   I think it is time to share some other ways to get a free VPN service without giving out your information.

Some Sites to Try are:

• freevpnhosting.com — a How to for your Android Device can be found here!
• us.hotfreevpn.com — For Android Devices check out this page!
• justfreevpn.com — Instructions here!
• superfreevpn.com — For Android Devices Check this page out!

As you can see these require no special apps from the Google play store to use them but remember, I can’t say what these people are doing on their side but at least the people locally can’t see your data.   it just depends on what you will do. There are many Paid VPNS out there that support Android and thus it is up to you which one you want to use.   If your like me you are looking for the cheapest solution and that is free but that isn’t always the case.  

One that I recommend 100%

VPN4ALL — This is the one that I am currently using and you only pay 5 dollars a month for 5 gigabyte a month plan.  Cheaper when and if you combine it with other plans.  I strongly recommend VPN4ALL to anyone who uses Android devices!  (Use coupon code paulstechtalk15 and save 15% on your order!)

Know any Good VPN Services?

Let me know by commenting and telling the world, I might even try them out myself!

Paul Sylvester

 

Foothold Scenario -- Google and Amazon!

Google gains a Foothold!

We've been seeing a lot happen with Google and Amazon.   Each bringing out their own tablets, like the Kindle and my recent Review of the Acer 200.   It is all about brand name and who captures the market.  When I first made the prediction of the Amazon Kindle, I didn't think Google would be this strong.  Although lately, I've beginning to want to make another great prediction and this one is looking to be a very good chance of happening.  Google whether we like it or not is gaining a foothold on the video market and we have to acknoledge that even if we do it grungingly. 

Reason why Google will win!

"Google will win by a landslide" will be a heading that I predict will happen.  When Google started making the Android O/S, no one expected them to want to go into the Video market place but that seems to be changing.  Now I know they have a ways to go before they will be Amazon but I do think they have a very good chance of that for several reasons and I will gladly share them with you.

• No propietary software -- Although Android O/s is somewhat proprietary each company who wants to develop their own O/s from Android can.  So you can have multiple looks and feels to Android and thus get the most exposure.
• More Widely Available -- Let's face it the Kindle isn't free but yet you can't buy a different tablet and have it put on it.  You have to buy their proprietary software and their hardware to view there movies on a portable device.  Unlike Google, you can buy any portable tablet and probably even put android on it with little or not help.
• The market is satiuated with Tablets -- Before Amazon came along we already had a ton of tablets out there that was all ready to be used for video.   Although Netflix [Affililiate Link] and Hulu can be used it is somewhat kind of disappointing because you can't download them for later watching.  You can only stream them.
• Ipad Versus Android Tablets -- I hate to say this but Ipads, Iphones, and Ipad Minis are what I consider "High brow" and the Android Tablets are "Low brow".  In other words Android tablets are good for people who are watching what they spend and the Ipads are good for those who doesn't mind spending a lot.

As you can see these are just a few of the reasons why Android is going to win out on the Video market place but that isn't the only reasons.   I won't go into a lot of details about it but you can see they are gaining a really big foothold and I can't wait to see what Amazon [Affiliate Link] does to to try to prevent it.  I've also am quite excited that you can buy movies from Google before they are released on DVD just like the Men in Black 3 Movie, so I can watch it on my Android Tablet before the 30th! 

Paul Sylvester

Amazon Affiliate Link!

Goodbye Amazon! Hello Sweet Google Play! More Reasons why I am leaving Amazon!

Amazon is losing the battle!

Let’s face it, when I bought my Acer Iconia Tablet [Affiliate Link] A200, I really thought I was going to not have a lot of shows that I can watch or stream on my tablet.    Lately Thought things have been changing, for the good.  After last year with watching Doctor Who on Amazon, I thought I was going to be stuck with Amazon because there was no way to download my episodes without the Amazon unbox program for my laptop.   I started watching Doctor Who Season 7 [Affiliate Link] on Amazon,  but that is about to change.

Science Fiction is Coming to Google!

As many of my readers knows, I simply love Science Fiction.   I do say that whole heartedly, nothing can be said about anything else.   Lately I’ve been on a kick to have other shows on Google Play or even movies.  I want to share with you some of the shows that I’d like to see added to Google Play:

• Star Trek — From original to Enterprise, I’d love to see all those episodes available to streamed and downloaded onto my Tablet.  Hopefully that is in a process now!
• Babylon 5 — Although there isn’t a link for that series, I’d love to see that come to Google Play Store really soon!
• Kyle XY — Although you can get Seasons 1 and 2, you can’t get season 3 just yet.  I’d love to see the who series on Google Play!
• Doctor Who [Season 7 Only] —  Thank you Google Play, This has been wanted for over a few weeks.   They recently released it to the Google Play store a few days ago.  I just can’t wait for them to bring in Season 1 thru 6.   
• Star Trek : Renegade — They are doing kick starter project for a new series that basiclly is a 5 year arch.  I’d love to see this come to my Android tablet so I can take this anywhere and watch it.  It is a interesting concept and it will be fascinating to see the series when it comes out!

Although these are just a few, I will be looking for more to come to the Google Play store.   Although there categories for TV is limited, I’d like to see more menus added so I don’t have to search as much. All I know, is recently I went to my Amazon pre-passes and stopped all those from continuing.  I have switched all my passes to Google Play store.   So I have one thing to say to Amazon “It was nice knowing you but I get my movies and TV from Google Play Store now, since you don’t support Android Devices”.   

If you would like to see a show or Movie come to Google play, you can always request it.   Just fill out this Form and they will know what shows or movies you’d like to see come to the Google Play Store.  I can’t wait to see what other shows or movies can be viewed on my Acer A200 Tablet!

Paul Sylvester

Amazon Affiliate Link!

Being Impressed with the Acer A200!!

Acer Tablet A200 and Me!

I've been using this Acer Tablet for over a Month and have yet to be disappointed with it.  I usually don't speak more than once on anything I have seen or done but I will tell you some of the amazing stuff that I found out with this little tablet.  I thought it was high time to share with you some of the amazing abilities that you can use this tablet for.

Speech to Text!

I know your thinking this is impossible with a tablet that probably doesn't have the power or speed to be able to change what you say into text.  I've on the other hand have found this to be a very useful way to send emails or even to use Google Voice to send text to people who I really don't have time to sit there and use the on screen keyboard.  I will say this is still a new technology and thus there will always be mistakes when it tries to understand what your saying.   I'm willing to guess that it is only like a 1 out of 10 words that it gets wrong with me.  I'll say that I don't always pronounce or enunciate alot so it really does a good job with figuring out what I said and putting in text format.

Google Play Store!

Another Great resource at your disposal and I do mean that.   Some of the shows that you can watch on your tablet are:

• Mythbusters Season 6-13 -- If your like me you like to be able to watch them any place you go and this will allow you the ability to download them and take them with you.
• Warehouse 13 (Season 1-4) --  I love this Science Fiction like this and want others to be able to experience them on your own Acer Tablet. 
• Royal Pains (Season 1-4) -- Like seeing blood or how Doctors react under pressure this is a good problem solving doctors show.  
• House (Season 1-8) -- Another one of those doctor shows that you might like to watch on your Acer Tablet.
• Naruto (All Episodes) -- This is something that I loved to watch growing up and thus will recommend this show to anyone who likes Japan animation.  It really grows on you as you watch it.
• Naruto Shippuden -- Although you have to stream these episodes you can keep up on the show as it progresses even more.   Thanks to CrunchRoll!

All of these episodes can be done on the Acer Tablet but if you have an Android it should work on any Android device as long as it is compatible with your device.   I just wanted to share with you some of the things you can do with your Acer A200 and show you some of the things I've done with it.  

Paul Sylvester

Amazon Affiliate Link

Acer Tablet A200 [ROMS] and You!

Acer is Good!

I’ve been using the Acer Tablet A200 has been really good with my two weeks of the tablet use and I have been really impressed with it.   I have however decided that I might check out the ROMS that I can use with it as far as using Jelly Bean with the tablet.  If I can install Ice cream sandwich using Acer update then I am most confident that it should also support Jelly bean and I have been looking long and hard for that on my HTC Inspire 4g (ATT) [Affiliate Link].

So let’s get this out of the way!

You will have to unlock and become a Superuser if you wish to install another ROM.  I prefer to find the ones that work best for me and here are some of them that I have to do a lot of explain or even trying to figure it myself.   Here are a Few ways to Root your Acer A200 that I’ve found.   Granted each one of these are “USE at your OWN Risk!” they however seem to be very good at Rooting your device the way you are wanting to.

• Simple Root — Works with Iconia A200 Tablets and I’ve not had a chance to test it but it might be what your looking for.
• Acer Tablet Forum Discussion — I will say this tutorial looks promising and should be considered when rooting and unlocking your tablet.

Which ROMS can be used with the A200?

So I’ve also been looking for some Jelly Bean ROMS that would work with the Acer A200 Tablet and I must say they are few and Far Between at least from what I’ve found but I will share with you ROMS that I will check out later on this week and try them out.   Here are the Ones that I’ve found:

• CM 10  - Preview Build — haven’t played around with this but I am hopeful that this will work nicely with the Acer Tablets.
• CM 10 - randomblames Jelly Bean — Another One that is supposed to work with the Acer A200 Tablet but haven’t tried it out just yet!
• CM10 civato’s JB 4.1.2 FLEX v6supercharged — Different but same!
• [ROM]Jelly-Bean_4.1.2_CM10-FLEX_v6supercharged_Aroma — It is supposed to work with A500’s but Since they are almost exactly the same you shouldn’t have much trouble with using it with the A200!
• [ROM][A500] CM10 Jellytime — Same as above but just a different mod that might work A200!

So as you can see there isn’t many that I’ve found but I might of missed a few here and there and ask that you help me find those roms that I’ve missed by leaving a comment and a link to that mod.  I’d love to hear if you had problems or if which mod you used or haven’t used and tell me your opinions on them all.   I have downloaded at least one mod to check out and get back with you if It works.   I will post later on the results.

Paul Sylvester

My Amazon Affiliate Link!

What the Androidpit App can do for you!

Google Removes Adobe Flash Player 11!

When I do a search for the Adobe flash player 11 in the Google Play store.  It comes up with everything that has Adobe in it but it doesn't show up how to get the app on Google Play store.  It seems Google has removed it due to Adobe no longer supporting it.  So I went digging around and I found a lovely little site called Androidpit, it is a app that you can help you decide if an App is really going to help in your situtation or if you should not even install it!

Side note -- You will have to install a 3rd party application which means you will basically not be installing from the Google Play Store.  It is usually under Settings > Applications > Unkown Sources (Needs to be checked).  It is often called side loading an application.   It is your decision if you want to use this app but it is very useful with a more complete area of reviews for each application.   

It can't hide from me!

After install the Adroidpit,  I was able to do a search for android adobe flash player with the App and Be able to install Adobe Flash Player 11 to my HTC inspire with little or no effort.   I really do like this little app because I can now keep up to date on any Android news or events as a notification everyday.  This is a great resource for those who are interested in keeping up to date on the Android Platform.   I will be able to review apps and decide if it is going to be worth the money to buy it or try the free version first.  I've not had much chance to do any major playing around with this app but I intend to give it a full month and maybe even talk about it some more later on.  

Another Side note -- If you intend just to install the android adobe flash player and that is all.  You should uncheck Unkown Sources so your phone or tablet is not at risk of installing something malicious.  It is however your decision how to proceed or to do it all.

Paul Sylvester

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