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.

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.

2.4 GHZ Wireless Mini Keyboard & Mouse Review

I got the 2.4 GHZ Wireless Mini Keyboard to make using my Chromebook at my desk easier as I can use the Keyboard and Mouse on the Keyboard tray of the desk instead of using the Chromebooks own Keyboard & Trackpad which is uncomfortable due to it being on a Laptop Riser that I'll review next.

The Keyboard is a standard island style Keyboard that is used on most modern Laptops including Chromebooks and Apple desktops. The Keyboard is a standard Windows layout with all the extra keys that you would expect from a Windows Keyboard.

For use with Chrome OS all of the Keys work as expected, the Caps Lock Key works as Caps Lock & the Windows Key works as the Chrome OS Search Key, the Delete Key works as Delete. The only Keys that don't work as they should are the Media Control Keys that are under the Fn Key on the F1-10 Keys.

To use the F1-10 Keys you really need to print off the Keyboard Layout by Googling for it and printing it out. The Keys are really solid and have more of a Mechanical feel about them than the what you get from Island style Keyboards. The supplied Keyboard protector does the job well and adds just the right amout off flex that using the Keyboard for an extended amount of time won't hurt your fingers.

The Mouse is of a mini variety and is nothing special as it's just a run of the mill optical mouse with left & right buttons and a scroll wheel that also acts as a third mouse button. Compared to the Wireless mouse that I was using previously it feels a little on the small side, but I'll have to try using the Keyboard on it's own with my other Wireless mouse even though it means having to give up a USB Port for another 2.4 GHZ dongle.

The 2.4 GHZ dongle for the kit sits in the bottom of the mouse for safe keeping if you decide to take them on the road with you (also this is where you will find the dongle when you take the kit out of the box. The Keyboard uses two AAA batteries while the mouse uses one AAA battery,

In the box you'll also find a little instruction leaflet as well as the Keyboard, in the kit that I got there were no included batteries but other sellers may include batteries.

For a link to the kit I got please see my Desk Setup November 2014 Article.

Roland

Inbox By Gmail Review

After using Inbox by Gmail on and off for a few weeks I thought that it was about time that I wrote a review of it.

Unlike the Gmail interface the Inbox interface is very minimalistic and takes a bit of getting used to as the tabbed category interface with the always on show sidebar has been replaced by a slide out sidebar that us the Hot dog menu (three stacked lines) that was first introduced in chrome to hide and show the sidebar along with a re-design of the category tabs.

The Chromebook Test: Living In Google Chrome For A Month (Part 20)

In this part I'm going to update on Printing within Chromium OS.

Printing Update

After originally talking about Printing in Chromium OS in Part 18 I thought I'd do a quick update with my findings after having to Print. Google Drive Documents such as Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides e.t.c print perfectly fine in Chromium but when it comes to printing Pictures they will not print (I'm putting this down to the lack of working Adobe Flash Player in Chromium OS, but without having an official Chromebook running Chrome OS I'm unsure), however if I insert pictures into a Google Docs Document they'll print perfectly fine.

Conclusion

If you don't mind finding work around to things that don't work, or live without them then Chromium OS is a perfectly usable OS, but if you want the full Chromebook experience then there is no substitute to an official Chromebook.

Roland

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Google Street View Trouble Continues

After reading this Article I can see another government failing.

They should have slapped a hefty penalty on Google for invasion of privacy when their street view cars accidentally stole personal information from unsuspecting people via their wi-fi networks as they drove past.

This also shows that people don't know how to secure their wireless networks or choose to turn off the encryption system that is built into the router or modem/router (gateway) as I've got an unused  BT branded Gateway that has wireless encryption turned on as standard and the Thomson Gateway provided by PlusNet also has wireless encryption turned on as standard as do the BT Home Hub Gateways that they use in their BT Broadband and BT Total Broadband services.

The wireless equipment manufacturers should not put the option to turn off wireless encryption in consumer wi-fi equipment and only allow it to be turned off in equipment for Hotels Bars and Restaurants that want to offer free wi-fi access that way things like this would not happen again in the future.

Rant over

Roland

Microsoft sues Motorola over Android phones

After reading this article on the BBC News website I can't help but wonder who will be next on Microsoft's hit list, will they go after Research In Motion over their Blackberry Smartphones and say that RIM have infringed some obscure Microsoft Patent on Push email or the use of a Homescreen that lists your upcoming calendar appointments, emails/SMS messages and your upcoming tasks.  Microsoft are as bad as News Corp/ BSkyB at trying to crush any competition.

I'm betting that the next two to be involved in a law suit will be RIM and Apple over the BlackBerry Homescreen and iPhone/iPod Touch Homescreen having a launcher bar at the bottom of them.

Why does every company have to be so greedy and want to take the competition down.  These patients that Microsoft are alleging have been infringed have not technically been infringed by Motorola and  instead have been infringed by Google as they are the ones that have put contact, calendar and email synchronizing into Android not Motorola so doesn't that mean that Microsoft should go after Google and not Motorola?

Rant over

Roland