Consider It Fixed

Running Google Apps on An Amazon Fire

I got my Amazon Fire on day one.  I immediately was impressed by it.  But as I began to dig deeper, I became disappointed.  I setup email, but couldn’t get to my contacts.  I didn’t like the email client and I could find no way to get to my Google contacts on the device without a manual import.  I could not find a calendar without paying money.  I tried using the Silk browser to access Google Apps.  It was OK until I turned to landscape mode and watched the editing box slide up the screen where I couldn’t see what I was writing.  At the end of day one, I thought that I would probably return my Fire. 

 

On day two, I came across some posts discussing how some users had rooted their Fire and been successful installing 3rd party applications not available in the Amazon Appstore.  I began to explore and discovered that I could get all of the functionality that I wanted without rooting my Fire.  I now love my Kindle Fire as it’s an awesome media device and also a great tool.  In this article I will share my path to liberating my Fire.

These are the steps that I took:

1. The first thing that you need to do is go into settings by tapping on the gear icon in the upper right corner, select More, select Device, and turn on Allow Installation of Applications From Unknown Sources.
2. Next, you need to establish an easy way to install Android application files onto the Fire.  Go to the Amazon Store on the Apps tab and install ES File Explorer.  Using ES File Explorer, you can connect your Fire to a PC via a mini USB to USB cable or you can connect your Fire to a PC via shared folders over a wireless network.  Either way works.  Once you are connected, you can transfer files between your desktop and Fire. 
3. I took a slightly different approach as the first file that I transferred was Dropbox_1.1.1.apk.  I created a directory on my Fire called Fire Apps and copied Dropbox into it.  I then clicked on the file, agreed to the security prompts and I was looking at Dropbox running on my Fire.  For the rest of my file transfers, I created a folder in Dropbox on my PC, put the files that I wanted to install on my fire in it, and opened up Dropbox on my Fire.
4. Now, I have to tell you, that finding the necessary installation files is not easy as they are typically hidden by the Android Market, Amazon Appstore, or other app sources.  If you go to Google and look for the apps, you will find them.  Just be careful about exploits and old file versions.  Don’t say that I didn’t warn you.  Also, make sure that you restart your Fire before running any newly installed apps.  I also want to state clearly that this worked for me.  But it may not work for you.  You do any or all of this at your own risk.  I also do not endorse the installation of any files that are for sale.  All of the files that I have installed are available at no cost or if they are for sale, I paid for them.

The files that I installed to get Google Apps running are:

1. GoogleServicesFramework.apk
2. GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.apk (contacts sync)
3. com.google.android.gm-2.apk (gmail)
4. com.google.android.apps.reader-1.apk (reader)
5. com.google.android.apps.googlevoice-1.apk (voice)
6. com.google.android.youtube-2.apk (youtube)

Additional applications that I have installed are Dolphin Browser, Subsonic, Xmarks for Dolphin, and Lastpass for Dolphin.  The only way that I was able to get a working calendar that syncs with Google Apps is by purchasing CalenGoo from the Amazon Appstore.  It works just fine.

I now have an Amazon Fire that is just perfect.  I hope that Amazon is listening and understands that a bridge is often necessary as users live in an integrated world.

If this post was helpful to you, please click on Comments below and leave one.

Contact Info: info@consideritfixed.com

 

Boxee: Media PC Done RIght

I enjoy my media center and large high definition TV.  Since it is connected to the Internet, I have spent hours combing the web, exploring numerous sites offering movies, videos, TV shows, and other media products.  I really got hooked on Internet connected media when I discovered that I could watch all 5 seasons of Lost from beginning to end thanks to Hulu.

My explorations have forced me to learn about and/or install several different media players.  You see, there is no standard for this type of Internet-based content.  It’s another Wild, Wild, West Internet adventure.  Microsoft’s media center is OK for some things, but without significant customization is can’t play several types of media files.  Nor, can it easily play content from sites like Hulu and ABC.  The story goes on like this for nearly ever product that I tested.  They do some things well, but there focus is narrow and self-serving.

This all changed when I learned about and installed Boxee.  Boxee describes itself as: 

“Boxee is the first "social" media center, whose free, open source, downloadable software is changing the way consumers experience media.

On a computer or connected to an HDTV, Boxee gives people a truly connected digital entertainment experience to enjoy movies, TV shows, music and photos, as well as streaming content from websites like Netflix, MLB.TV, Comedy Central, Pandora, Last.fm, and flickr. Not only that, but you can share information about what you’re watching with friends so they can find it legally and enjoy it too. You can even post things you like to social networks like Twitter, Last.FM, or Tumblr. All this from within a visually driven interface that makes media come to life.”

According to its website, the idea for Boxee was born when founding friends Avner, Gidon, Idan, Tom, and Roee, came up with the idea for boxee in 2004 when they began using Xbox Media Center, open source software for the original Xbox that allowed people to play digital media on their TVs. They became members of XBMC’s open source community and in 2007 imagined a way to take the platform even further. Since 2007, Mr. Ronen and a team of 11 others have worked to extend the base code for XBMC with online sources like hulu and Netflix as well as social networking in Boxee.

Today, Boxee is available for Windows, OS X, Linux, and Apple TV.  In the near future, Boxee will be available on its own dedicated setup top box via a partnership with D-Link and others will follow.
 

 

 

 

 

Here is why I like Boxee:

1. It supports all of the platforms that I use including Windows, Apple and Linux.
2. It plays nearly every media file type that ask it to.  I now longer have to comb the Internet looking for codecs, players, and converter.
3. It provides a consistent interface to media content from a number of sources. It's open and not married to it’s own content.  I think of it as a media aggregator.
4. It has the best user interface and user experience, bar none, of any media player available.  Setup is simple.  Basically, you can install it and go.  There are some simple options that can be used to customize Boxee.  But they are easy to navigate and understand.
5. It works with a number of media controllers without the need to train, installing additional software and the like.  I use it with a Logitech Harmony One remote control and a wireless keyboard.  Neither control required any special setup.
6. Boxee has a great remote control app for the iPhone.  I installed it and it worked on the first try.
7. I can use Boxee to find a wide variety of different media content from a large number of source on the Internet.  This is done through its search capabilities and connections to popular social media sites.

If this post was helpful to you, please click on Comments below and leave a comment.

Contact Info: info@consideritfixed.com

Google Web Search Tools

More than any other web search site, people flock to www.google.com by the millions daily.  However, most google users don’t know about the host of search tools that google provides to its users.  Following is a rather exhaustive list of many of the things that you can do on google.

Weather

To see the weather for many U.S. and worldwide cities, type "weather" followed by the city and state, U.S. zip code, or city and country.

Example:  

Stock Quotes

To see current market data for a given company or fund, type the ticker symbol into the search box. On the results page, you can click the link to see more data from Google Finance.

Example:  

Time

To see the time in many cities around the world, type in "time" and the name of the city.

Example:  

Sports Scores

To see scores and schedules for sports teams type the team name or league name into the search box. This is enabled for many leagues including the National Basketball Association, National Football League, National Hockey League, and Major League Baseball.

All sports data provided by STATS, Inc.

Example:  

Reference Tools

Calculator

To use Google's built-in calculator function, simply enter the calculation you'd like done into the search box.

Example:  

Book Search

If you’re looking for results from Google Book Search, you can enter the name of the author or book title into the search box and we’ll return any book content we have as part of your normal web results. You can click through on the record to view more detailed info about that author or title.

Example:  

Earthquakes

To see information about recent earthquakes in a specific area type "earthquake" followed by the city and state or U.S. zip code. For recent earthquake activity around the world simply type "earthquake" in the search box.

Example:  

Unit Conversion

You can use Google to convert between many different units of measurement of height, weight, and volume among many others. Just enter your desired conversion into the search box and we’ll do the rest.

Example:  

Public Data

To see trends for population and unemployment rates of U.S. states and counties, type "population" or "unemployment rate" followed by a state or county. You can click through to a page that lets you compare different locations.

Example:  

People Profiles

If you're looking for someone you just met or a long-lost friend, enter the name of that person plus some identifying words about him or her to see a list of people with that name.

Example:  

Choosing Keywords

Synonym Search

If you want to search not only for your search term but also for its synonyms, place the tilde sign (~) immediately in front of your search term.

Example:  

Dictionary Definitions

To see a definition for a word or phrase, simply type the word "define" then a space, then the word(s) you want defined. To see a list of different definitions from various online sources, you can type "define:" followed by a word or phrase. Note that the results will define the entire phrase.

Example:  

Spell Checker

Google’s spell checking software automatically checks whether your query uses the most common spelling of a given word. If it thinks you’re likely to generate better results with an alternative spelling, it will ask “Did you mean: (more common spelling)?”. Click the suggested spelling to launch a Google search for that term.

Example:  

 

Local

Search

If you’re looking for a store, restaurant, or other local business you can search for the category of business and the location and we’ll return results right on the page, along with a map, reviews, and contact information.

Example:  

Movie Showtimes

To find reviews and showtimes for movies playing near you, type "movies" or the name of a current film into the Google search box. If you've already saved your location on a previous search, the top search result will display showtimes for nearby theaters for the movie you've chosen.

Example:  

Health Search

Health Conditions

To see information about a common disease or symptom, enter it into the search box and we'll return the beginning of an expert summary. You can click through to read the entire article in Google Health.

Example:  

Poison Control

You can quickly find the U.S. poison control hotline (1-800-222-1222) by entering "poison control" or similar phrases into the search box.

"Mr. Yuk" icon courtesy of the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Example:  

Flu Shot Search

During flu season, search for "flu" to find tips on how to stay healthy from U.S. Health and Human Services and a flu shot locator which uses Google Maps to show you nearby locations offering seasonal and/or H1N1 flu vaccine.

Example:  

 

Trip Planning

Airline Travel Info

To see flight status for arriving and departing U.S. flights, type in the name of the airline and the flight number into the search box. You can also see delays at a specific airport by typing in the name of the city or three-letter airport code followed by the word "airport".

Example:

Currency Conversion

To use our built-in currency converter, simply enter the conversion you’d like done into the Google search box and we’ll provide your answer directly on the results page.

Example:  

Maps

Looking for a map? Type in the name or U.S. zip code of a location and the word "map" and we’ll return a map of that location. Clicking on the map will take you to a larger version on Google Maps.

Example:  

 

Query Refinements

Plus (+) Operator

Google ignores common words and characters such as where, the, how, and other digits and letters that slow down your search without improving the results. If a common word is essential to getting the results you want, you can make sure we pay attention to it by putting a "+" sign in front of it.

Example:  

Related Search

To search for web pages that have similar content to a given site, type "related:" followed by the website address into the Google search box.

Example:  

Fill in the Blank

Sometimes the best way to ask a question is to get Google to ‘fill in the blank’ by adding an asterisk (*) at the part of the sentence or question that you want finished into the Google search box.

Example:  

 

Search by Number

Package Tracking

You can track packages by typing the tracking number for your UPS, Fedex or USPS package directly into the search box. We’ll return results that include quick links to easily track the status of your shipment.

Example:  

Patent Numbers

To search for U.S. patents, enter the word "patent" followed by the patent number into the Google search box and hit the Enter key or click the Google Search button.

Example:  

Area Code

To see the geographical location for any U.S. telephone area code, just type the three-digit area code into the Google search box and hit the Enter key or click the Google Search button.

Example:  

Revisited: Insidious MS Antivirus Removal Instructions

I last wrote about MS Antivirus and its derivatives in March of 2009.  In recent weeks, this parasite has been extremely active as I have seen a significant spike in service calls.  According to the Wikipedia, this parasite is going by many names: XP Antivirus, Vitae Antivirus, Windows Antivirus, Win Antivirus, Antivirus Pro, Antivirus Pro 2009, Antivirus 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 360, Internet Antivirus Plus, System Antivirus, Spyware Guard 2008 and 2009, Spyware Protect 2009, Winweb Security 2008, System Security, Malware Defender 2009, Ultimate Antivirus2008, Vista Antivirus, General Antivirus, AntiSpywareMaster, Antispyware 2008, XP AntiSpyware 2008 and 2009, WinPCDefender, Antivirus XP Pro, and Anti-Virus-1.

Before I provide instructions on how to remove this parasite, I have a few words of advice.  This parasite will tell you that your computer is infected with many things, and if you buy it for $29.95, $34.95, or 49.95, etc., if will fix your computer.  If you have given this parasite your credit card, immediately stop what you are doing and cancel your credit card.  That said, these instructions have worked on removing the parasite from many computers.  But if you have interacted with this thing a lot or have one of the more destructive versions on your computer, you may end up with no other option than to rescue your data, format your hard drive and reinstall your operating system and applications.  If you don’t know how to do this, contact your local computer professional for assistance.

OK, here’s what to do when you are infected. 

1. Don’t interact with it.  If possible, use Ctrl+Alt+Del to bring up the task list and kill the window which is telling you that your computer is infected.
2. Step #1 - Run System Restore.  You can do this by clicking on Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore.  Select a restore point from before you got infected and run system restore.  If you have no restore points or you run System Restore and you are told that it wasn’t able to restore your computer to date you selected, you may be in trouble.  You can try the next steps, but your chances for a good outcome have just lessened.
3. Step #2 - If you use Internet Explorer, empty your browser cache.  Open Internet Explorer and click on Tools, Internet Options, and delete all of your browsing history and cookies.  Please note that these instructions may vary based on the version of IE that you are using.  You can consult Internet Explorer's Help if you can't figure out how to do this.
4. Step #2 - If you use Firefox, click on Tools, Clear Recent History and delete all your browsing history and cookies.  Please note that these instructions may vary based on the version of Firefox that you are using.  You can consult Firefox's Help if you can't figure out how to do this.
5. Step #3 - Install and run Anti-Malware by Malwarebytes.  Go to http://www.malwarebytes.org/.  Click on the link to “Download free version” on the left side of the screen.  Next, install it on your computer.  Leave both check marks selected and start Anti-Malware and update.  Make sure that you have the Scanner tab selected. Select Perform full scan.  When the scan is complete, you will be given the option to remove what Anti-Malware finds. Use that option. It may ask for permission to restart your computer. Do so.
6. Setp #4 - Install and run Microsoft’s Malicious Software Removal Tool.  Go to http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.aspx.  Click on "Skip the details and download the tool".  Click on the download link and install. Run Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool and follow it's instructions to remove any malware that it finds.

If you are unable to perform these steps, you are in trouble.  Your best course of action is to backup your data, format your hard drive and reinstall your operating system and applications.  I know that it hurts, it hurts a lot.

In the future, be very careful when security warnings appear on your computer. Unfortunately, you need to evaluate them and decide if they are real, or as in your recent case, malware.  It is very confusing.  If you get involved with this type of malware in the future (and Windows XP is the target as Visa is more secure), go immediately to system restore and restore your computer to a date prior to the infection. Do not interact with it as by doing so, you are most likely giving permission to install on your computer.  If you are unable to perform a restore, call me or your local computer repair professional for assistance.

Contact Info: info@consideritfixed.com

Are You Listening Ralph de la Vega?

I fell off my chair yesterday when the local AT&T Retail Sales Manager told me how much it would cost to setup my client's new firm with iPhones.  AT&T wants, in addition to the cost of the iPhones and setup fees, a $1000 dollar security deposit for each line.  Better yet, they want to hold the security deposit for 1 year to insure that they get paid.  My client needs 7 iPhones and 3 international data cards.  The deposit would be $10,000!

My client is a law firm.  They've been in business for a while as a branch of another firm.  But they are now going out on their own.  So, they have a new name and a new tax ID.  They have a bunch of clients, uniquely specialized skills and revenue.  But they have no business history and no record of financial stability. In my view, that's just the way it is for a new business.  This gets to the question - Is AT&T interested in attracting new businesses as customers?  In this case, AT&T is very anti-new business as it's looking no further than 'new tax ID requires a large deposit'.

Most companies, particularly in our current state of economic recession, are willing to bend over backwards to acquire new customers.  The local AT&T Retail Sales Manager is very motivated to get my client's business and he's been very responsive.  He's pushed this harebrained decision as high up the ladder as he can.  But, it seems like his hands are tied.  If it weren't for the iPhone, there is no question that we'd be doing business with Verizon or Sprint.  I wonder - would Lowell C. McAdam, CEO of Verizon Wireless let this happen?  What about Dan Hesse, Sprint's CEO, would he let this happen?  Would he give up a new and profitable account with this firm's potential.  Ralph de la Vega is AT&T Mobility's CEO.  I wonder if he's listening?  Oh, but wait, the story gets better.

Is this where you want to bring your business?

Almost anyone can walk into an AT&T retail store and purchase 5 iPhones on a family plan.  I mean almost anyone.  The credit check is brief, vague at best.  All you need is a credit card.  If my client really wants iPhones, they can have one partner purchase 5 and another partner purchase the others until the firm has been in business long enough to satisfy AT&T's inane policy.  So, why is AT&T's small business team being so shortsighted and unwilling to support new businesses?  Ralph, are you listening?  I don't get it.  Do you? 

Contact Info: info@consideritfixed.com

We Support the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

Fast Fact: Did you know that a new case of invasive breast cancer is diagnosed in the U.S. every 3  minutes?

The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer is a remarkable, interactive weekend Walk that raises critical dollars to provide access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer. The Walk provides the opportunity for all participants to make a tangible commitment toward eradicating breast cancer while also increasing critical awareness of this deadly disease.

For 2 days and 39 miles, everyone who has been touched by breast cancer touches you - in gratitude. My wife, Lori, will walk in the New York City Avon Walk for Breast Cancer on the weekend of October 6 – 7 and is committed to raising $2000. The money that she raises will allow medically underserved women and men to be treated giving them access to the care they require. And hard-working research teams will be powered by the funds they need to fuel their quest for the cure.

Please donate generously in our Tip Jar (located on our homepage). 100% of the money donated with go to the Avon Foundation. I wish that we could consider breast cancer fixed. Maybe some day we will.

Please see the Avon Foundation for more information.

Please post a comment if this has been helpful to you.

Contact info: info@consideritfixed.com