Finally getting round to sorting out this website. It might take a while though.

More than ever, I’m short of time; with a wife, two kids (one with complicated medical situation), and two businesses. However, I do intend to write occassional posts here.

In the short term, I will be writing stuff about technology and computers, mainly to support my IT consulting (computer repair) business. Later, I might do more posts motor racing as the girls get a little old and I maybe take an interest themselves.

For those that subscribe by RSS (if there are any), thanks for subscribing. For those that don’t, please come back regularly to check for new content.

Thanks,

Colin.

Google are at it again! They’re changing lots of things including the layout of Google Reader and Google Docs, and they’ve virtually hidden the ‘cached results’ from Google Searches.

I am sad to say that the New Look is here to stay on Google Documents (and Google Reader by the looks of it). I prefer the ‘classic view’ of gDocs but they’ve taken away that option. How very Apple of them.

It looks like there’s no way to get back the old interface of gReader either, although I haven’t thoroughly researched that point as I don’t use gReader at the moment.

Regarding cached results in Google searches, there used to be a link just under the search result for the cached copy, but now you have to hover over the double arrow to the right of the search result, wait for the page preview to load, then select ‘cached’ from the link at the top. Considering Google’s efforts to make search quicker, this change seems counter-productive.

It seems that Google has moved it’s focus from functionality to appearance.

In haste,

Colin.

I want to start blogging again, and use this site for my computer services business.  I would like your opinion on what you think is best.  Please reply on Twitter, at www.twitter.com/ColinBowen

Thanks.

Option #1.  Keep my business name as CBits (Colin Bowen IT Services), and have BowenRacing.com/CBits dedicated to computers, phones, and other IT.

Option #2. Change the business name to BowenRacing IT Services (BRITS), and have BowenRacing.com/IT dedicated to computers, phones, and other IT.

Option #3. Change the business name to BowenRacing Computer Services, and have BowenRacing.com/CS dedicated to computers, phones, and other IT.

Thanks for your opinions.

By the way, I am aware that this site is pretty broken at the moment.  It’s on my list to sort out, but family and paid work must take priority at the moment.

Thanks.

Life’s too short for you to spend any more time on this.  Buy the Jabra Extreme Bluetooth Headset from Amazon here http://amzn.to/fWumip. When it arrives, unpack it, turn on your Android phone’s Bluetooth, turn on the Jabra Extreme (slider on the side). Wait for them to pair. Job done! Media though the headset.

If you have more time, read on….

I couldn’t play media (podcasts or music) on my Android phone through either of my two Bluetooth headsets. I had been able to do this with my Windows Mobile phones using an app called ‘BT Audio’.  I wanted to make this work so I can listen to podcasts while carrying my baby without her pulling on my headphone wires and eating my earbuds.

I spent way too long looking into this online and found that stereo headsets can do this, but the sort of headset you use in your car (the type that fits on one ear) don’t usually do this on Android.  What you need as an A2DP enabled headset, but these are usually the stereo ones.  It’s very hard to find out online whether any particular headset is A2DP enabled.  I even bought a new cheap Bluetooth headset in case my existing ones we’re too old, but the new one didn’t work either.

I saw a couple of people online had had success with the Jabra Extreme, so decided to buy it from Amazon; it’s worth the extra money!

As you can see from the first paragraph, it’s very easy to set up; you don’t even have to charge it first. It looks good, appears well made, comes in lovely packaging, and has good accessories; a selection of ear hooks, mains charger, in-car USB socket, and a brilliant hinged USB to Micro USB adapter.

The sound quality is good, and so is the range.  You can pair it with eight devices, and have any two connected at the same time (ie work and home phone).  It has two microphones so it can cancel out background noise so people can hear you better.

Just goes to show, if you spend a little more, you get a lot more value.  Go on, treat yourself!  Jabra Extreme Bluetooth Headset.

This is another post made on my Android phone while feeding baby.

I was having a problem where events I add on my Android phone would sync to Google, but events added on Google Calendar would not sync to my phone.  I searched Google Help, and a wider internet search on Google, but there were pages and pages of people having the opposite problem; their phone would get new events input on the web, but new events on the phone weren’t syncing.  Synchronizing is a major part of the Google-Android system, but there seemed to be nothing from Google about these problems.

Anyway, I found the answer to my problem.  On the Android phone, go to the Home Screen, Menu, Settings, Applications, Manage Applications, Calendar Storage. Then select Clear Cache.

If you found this useful. Please leave a comment or link to this site from your site.  Thanks.

A rare post from me.  I don’t plan to post much for at least four months, but this one might help others.

I own a HTC Wildfire, an Android phone.  I added my Google account to it and it all synchronised well.  Although there is an option to add another account, after the entering the details it would say “Signing in”, and:

“Your phone is communicating with Google servers and setting up your account. This may take up to five minutes.” 

Well, it would rarely get to five minutes before reporting:

“Can’t establish a reliable data connection to the server. This could be a temporary problem or your SIM card may not be provisioned for data services. If it continues, call Customer Care.”

I finally found a solution:

Go to the phone’s YouTube app

If you have an account, sign in.  If not, create an account using your Google username and password.

That’s it!  The phone now has the new account.  You will probably want to go to settings, Syncing and Accounts, and set it to sync automatically.  You’ll then get your second or subsequent gMail accounts in the gMail app.

If you found this useful, please let me know with a comment.  I might start posting tech-related stuff again in 2011, but want to know if anyone is interested before I spend time on it.  Thanks.

This is Tesco’s response to the email I sent yesterday about their Unlimited tarrif being subject to a limit, as explain in the post below this one. 

Tesco replied:

I am sorry to hear that you feel our advertising for the unlimited tariff is misleading.

Unfortunately, as with every network, there is a fair usage policy on the tariff, which has been set at £500.

I have replied to that:

Regardless of what other networks do and say, the fact is that you state that the tariff includes “Unlimited calls, texts and browsing” but it is limited; it’s limited to £500.  To say it is unlimited is not true.

I’ll post what they say next.

The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) recently said that telecoms companies can call their plans ‘unlimited’ even though they’re limited by the companies’ “fair use” policies.  This just does not make sense.

If the regulators can’t protect the consumer against such an obviously misleading practice, we can’t trust them to protect us against other bad practices.  It’s quite simple, you just ban the use of ‘unlimited’ if there are any limits at all on the tarrif.  If they don’t take action on this, the Regulators are either in the pockets of the telecoms companies or they are impotent and need reform; there’s no other explanation.

We as consumers need some sort of campaign for fair and honest treatment from these companies.  If you have any suggestions, please let me know in the comments.

Hello all. I know I said I wouldn’t start posting again until the end of August, but I’m a little ahead of schedule.

I’ve been looking into a new mobile phone and contract, and mobile phone companies keep telling me that they have ‘unlimited’ internet. Tesco told me this in person last week, and T-Mobile told me this over the phone today. But these ‘Unlimited’ deals are not unlimited. Here’s an example:

Despite the big print saying “£30pm for unlimited calls, texts and browsing”, the small print says “subject to a fair use limit of £500″.  So, it’s not unlimited, it’s limited to £500.

T-Mobile said today that I (currently) have unlimited data allowance on my £15pm SIM cards.  I said “It’s limited to 3GB, so how is it unlimited?” and he replied that if I exceed 3GB, I still have unlimited data but I’ll be charged for anything above the that.  I don’t think he’s right there either, but it does illustrate how these companies are trying to mislead people.

I just sent this email to Tesco Mobile and should receive a reply within 24 hours.

Subject:  Complaint about misleading advertising

Body:  Your advertising states “£30 per month for unlimited calls, texts and browsing”, then in small print states “Unlimited calls, texts and browsing subject to a fait use limit of £500″.  How can it be unlimited, and limited, at the same time.

I’ll let you know what they say.

Quick post while waiting for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs to call me back.

I’ve just opened a letter from FIrst Direct Bank.  “If you had a cash machine that was guaranteed to print money over the next 25 years would you insure it?”  This is a sales pitch I first heard heard over 15 years ago, but it’s still in use today.

Their point is that you are that cash machine!  Every month you go to work and make money to support your family.  The point is that you should insure that money-making machine to make sure that if you die or fall ill, your family can get the money from the insurance policy instead.

I’m not a big fan of ‘clever’ sales pitches like that, they seem a bit immature.  I’m usually dealing with an existing client or one who has been recommended by an existing client so I have their attention already.  But now I’m looking for a few new clients to work with, maybe I should be using those tried and tested methods.

Back to my tax return.

Don’t expect any new posts until the end of August.

I’m working hard on my two businesses for a few months; my Financial Services clients need even more help in the current climate and my IT (PC) services clients need the best service I can offer. 

It reminds me of when I started business in 1990, there was a recession but I worked hard and built a business I am proud of.  Although I have two stable businesses now, I figure that if I work hard now, my clients and I will benefit more in the future.

So, I’ve decided to focus my time on my businesses for a few months.  As usual, I’m busy with my family (visits and holidays) too.  I miss posting here but it does take more time than I currently want spend on it.  Sometimes you have to focus on the most important things in life.

All this could change though…  I’m considering entering a national karting championship.  Although it will take up time, that sort of activity puts me in effeciency overdrive, so might be a good use of my time.  If I enter, I might be making short, quick posts here, and might start tweeting @BowenRacing.  In any case, I’ll continue tweeting @ColinBowen.