tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123212772024-03-12T22:43:27.771-04:00TracerAbout photography, technology, cycling and cars.Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-13034552670592445632023-01-01T23:02:00.004-05:002023-01-01T23:04:35.921-05:00New Year, old me.I'm not doing new year resolutions for 2023 (or any year really). Make the choice to improve yourself as soon as you can whenever you can. I made the choice to do so much earlier in 2022. I've finally recovered from the back injury and subsiquint herniated disc I sustained at the end of 2019. Parenting has settled into a manageable pace. Something un-expected has also improved my outlook, my employer has moved to a four day workweek. Having that extra day off does wonders for your mental health and ability to improve yourself. So with that, I will reflect on what I started in 2022 and hope to improve apon in 2023. <h2 style="text-align: left;">Physical health </h2><div>One thing that my herniated disc prevented me from doing was taking care of my body other than what was needed for that injury. I'm now back to the gym 3 days a week. On the <a href="https://www.garmin.com/en-CA/p/701670">bicycle trainer</a> and/or <a href="https://www.joyride150.com/">bike park</a> 2 days a week and trying to eat better. I'm not dieting, just trying to slow down how fast I eat and stop eating when I'm full. I've already noticed an improvement there. Once the weather improved I'll be riding even more outside. </div><h2 style="text-align: left;">My YouTube channel</h2><div>I started a YouTube channel, Paul.Bike, just over <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S40Wyghd2LU&">one year ago</a>. I have not been posting nearly as often as I would like. Nor is the quality of the videos nearly as good as I beleive I can do. I'm enjoying the process though. Slowly improving in both metrics. Will continue improving in 2023.</div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Reading</h2><div>I've gotten back into reading again after a long break. Not much to say here other than listing some of the authors I've really enjoyed over the last few years:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.marthawells.com/">Martha Wells</a> - The Murderbot Diaries series</li><li><a href="https://whatever.scalzi.com/">John Scalzi</a> - pretty much everything he's written</li><li><a href="https://janetedwards.com/">Janet Edwards</a> - read most of her books as well</li><li><a href="https://publishing.tor.com/author/tamsynmuir/">Tamsyn Muir</a> - The Locked Tomb series</li><li><a href="https://britneyjackson.com/">Britney Jackson</a> - Creatures of Darkness series</li><li><a href="http://www.caseymatthews.org/">Casey Matthews</a> - The One Who Eats Monsters</li><li><a href="https://www.otherscribbles.com/">Becky Chambers</a> - The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet</li></ul><div>I've strangrly gotten into the Urban Fantasy genre starting with the Creatures of Darkness series mentioned above. I'm exploring that genre now and finding a lot of good (and also bad) there.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe I'll even write more, starting with this blog. Who knows. Hope your 2023 keeps you moving forward.</div>Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-47929786543877083322020-10-22T16:38:00.003-04:002020-10-23T10:22:06.918-04:00Moving on from Google Play Music<p>I was a happy customer of <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen">Google Play Music</a>. However, as you may have heard, <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/music/google-play-music-shutting-down-move-files-to-youtube-music/">Google has decided to shut it down</a>. Googles reasoning is unknown, but if you have been a user of any of their platforms you would know that Google has a culture of killing and replacing their services instead of improving them. The notable exceptions being Gmail and Calendar. Googles replacement for GPM is YouTube music. <a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/googleplaymusic/comments/icmwdf/one_comprehensive_list_of_youtube_music/">This has several notable issues</a>. Though the two services do not have feature parity, I don't actually consider that the biggest. The biggest is that if you are an actual user of YouTube, using it as a music service completely screws up your ability to effectively use YouTube for video. Once you migrate your GPM music and playlists to YouTube, you have now merged all your recommendations. If I'm browsing YouTube on my TV, I don't want recommendations for music. Maybe Google will solve this with time, but for now it's a complete mess. Something that is preventing me from even trying it as I don't want it screwing up what I have. The above knowledge is from countless reviews that have listed this as a big negative.</p>
<p>So I'm forced to seriously look at other services. The ones I've chosen to compare are Spotify and Tidal. Spotify, because it has great integration into the platforms I'm already invested in. Tidal, because it's the only service that provides high quality audio, which I have the hardware to take advantage of. I also included Amazon Prime Music simply because I had it for free with my Amazon Prime account.</p>
<p>After having tried these other services, I've put together a list of features, how important they are to me and weather that service fulfills that feature.</p>
<br /><br /><br /><table border="1" cellpadding="10">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td> </td>
<td><img alt="Google Play Music" border="0" height="56" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mSu6OBxKPvM/X45G2kdKjcI/AAAAAAABei0/s_v6KlQVyxEMEGTMPvO1_agPQvRKGveuACPcBGAsYHg/s16000/gpm.png" width="50" /></td>
<td><img alt="YouTube Music" border="0" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bvcmi60ATrg/X45HvwzkLhI/AAAAAAABejI/7KqxVn4Tn8kcD9bjTCnqDhuq7F09KY3MQCPcBGAsYHg/s16000/youtube_music.png" width="50" /></td>
<td><img alt="Spotify" border="0" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mfPiqFzzWC4/X45HjTyix4I/AAAAAAABejE/WOfc974_s_gy-fXWqJr_kKTIesVKBpwvQCPcBGAsYHg/s16000/spotify.png" width="50" /></td>
<td><img alt="Tidal" border="0" height="33" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ez8-YnTHVhg/X45IAC63ijI/AAAAAAABejQ/hWtV3MgrSHsnE_p1AHBE3hwrOMIuCrdaACPcBGAsYHg/s0/tidal.png" width="50" /></td>
<td><img alt="Amazon Music" border="0" height="10" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IUsdO_iZjHM/X45IDYTDlHI/AAAAAAABejU/yM6U80bTNKA5SHJA3GGrOQXnb7KUp8peACPcBGAsYHg/s0/amazon_music.png" width="50" /></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="#quality">Sound Quality</a></td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟡</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="#catalog">Catalog Depth</a></td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>🔴</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="#locker">Digital locker</a></td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>🔴</td>
<td>🔴</td>
<td>🔴</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="discovery">Music Discovery</a></td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>🟡</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="#google_home">Google Home Integration</a></td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>🟡</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="#android_auto">Android Auto Implementation</a></td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>N/A</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="#ux">Ease of use / UX</a></td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟢</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="#price">Price</a></td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🔴</td>
<td>🟢</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="#categorization">Music Categorization & Sorting</a></td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>🔴</td>
<td>🟢</td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>🟡</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="#follow">Device Follow</a></td>
<td>🔴</td>
<td>🔴</td>
<td>🟡</td>
<td>🔴</td>
<td>🔴</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2><a name="quality"></a>Sound Quality</h2>
<p>Before I talk about sound quality, I want to talk about my music listening use cases. There are three primary setups in order of importance: </p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>At my desk using an External DAC and high end headphones.</li><li>Walking around using my phone and either wired or Bluetooth headphones.</li><li>In the car using Android Auto. </li></ol><p></p><p>Sound quality is really only an issue at the desk setup. You can't really tell outside or in the car unless you have an exceptional setup and quite environment. </p>
<p>That being said, when at my desk the sound quality of Tidal is noticeably better then the rest. The stereo separation is noticeably better. You don't get any of that compression warble (technical term :) from compression of complex tonal arrangements. You'll often times hear the term sound stage used to describe audio quality. This is noticeably better using Tidal, where you can place the musicians in a room/hall/studio as if they were live. </p>
<h2><a name="catalog"></a>Catalog Depth</h2>
<p>Google, Spotify and Amazon Music Premium have a good amount of music. Tidal has a more limited selection. I'm assuming this is due to them re-encoding everything themselves at a higher quality. And of course Amazon Prime music (non-premium) the smallest. I used <a href="https://soundiiz.com/">Soundiiz</a> to transfer my library to the different services from GPM. With Spotify I was missing a few hundred out of approx. 8000 tracks. With Tidal I was missing approximately 2000. With Amazon Prime (non-premium) I was missing about half. Keep in mind that my music catalog is a lot of self ripped MP3s uploaded to the Google digital locker. So there are a lot of obscure electronic and alternative rock albums from the 90s and early 2000s in there. </p>
<h2><a name="locker"></a>Digital locker</h2>
<p>Not much to say about this. Only GPM and YouTube music have it. And the implementation of the one in YouTube Music is less than ideal. It keeps your personal catalog completely separate. Of note is that Spotify, if you're on Windows, will play your music from OneDrive. Sadly, this feature is not available on mobile which would be the killer app here.</p>
<h2><a name="dicovery"></a>Music Discovery</h2>
<p>This is a draw between GPM and Spotify. GPM has the superior algorithm for it's radio stations and artist playlists. Spotify has the far greater social reach with curated user playlists. YouTube music lost a lot of the features of GPM. Most notably the auto playlists are garbage. Possibly the worst of the review group. Which is impressive as GPM was the best. However YouTube Music has gained the playlists of YouTube users. This can be hit or miss though as there is a lot of trash on YouTube. A service like Tidal is good if you like Hip Hop as that is their main focus. </p>
<p>One thing that all these service miss with the exception of Spotify, and is a big one for me the ability to search by label. This is something I sorely miss from being a customer of <a href="https://emusic.com">emusic.com</a> for many years. Searching by label for the type of musis I listen to was single handedly the best way to find new and interesting msuic for me. This was mostly because I listen to a lot of electronic music from small independent labels. The only service that has this in any capacity is Spotify. There is no UI for it, but<a href="https://community.spotify.com/t5/Social/Is-there-a-n-extended-Spotify-search-syntax/td-p/1014655"> spotify supports advanced search syntax</a>, which includes searching by label. Not ideal to type that out, especially when on mobile, but generally I do music discovery on the desktop, so this works fine.</p>
<h2><a name="google_home"></a>Google Home Integration</h2>
<p>Googles own services of course have Google Home Integration. The only other service that has it is Spotify. The rest only work as Google cast devices. Meaning you can cast your music to your speakers from them, but they are not integrated players. This is frustrating and as someone who uses Google Home, a deal breaker for me. Being able to just say "Hey Google, play some Tragically Hip" and have it work well is great. In contrast to "Hey Google, play Tragically Hip on Tidal" and hope it gets it right (which it sometimes doesn't). </p>
<h2><a name="android_auto"></a>Android Auto Implementation</h2>
<p>Now you'd think Google's own services would work spotlessly here too, but you'd be wrong. Only Google Play Music works spotlessly here, all the other services have issues. Annoying issues like forgetting what you were listening too. Normally, when you get into the car, Android Auto just starts playing whatever you were listening to on your phone. However, all the other apps "forget". That and the UI for GPM was fine tuned for the car and worked well. The other services I found clunky in the Android Auto interface. The worst app however had to be Tidal. It seemed exceptionally laggy and would constantly forget what I was listening to if I shut off the car for gas for instance. This was also a deal breaker for me as I use Android Auto for long trips. </p>
<h2><a name="ux"></a>Ease of use / UX</h2>
<p>I'm not a UX expert, but do implementing UIs for a living. That being said, it's hard to separate myself from what I'm used to vs. what is subjectively better. I personally feel GPM and Tidal had the best UIs. Spotify is ok, but have some quirks, especially when it comes to playlist management. For instance, on Android it's not easy to remove the current track from the playlist you're listening to. In general, playlist management seems to be less than ideal on Spotify, which is surprising considering how playlists are such a key feature of the platform. The worst, hands down is YouTube music. The confusing UI, mashup of Video and Audio and the complete separation of your digital locker music make this an un-intuitive mess. But the most unforgivable YouTube Music issue is how slow and laggy the browsing of music is. In GPM, the scrolling through your playlists was fast and seamless. This was not an issue on any of the other services. </p>
<p>YouTube music has a lost of bugs and UI issues, missing features. So much so that I'm not going to duplicate the great effort made <a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/googleplaymusic/comments/icmwdf/one_comprehensive_list_of_youtube_music/">by a reddit user on the subject, just go check it out.</a></p>
<p>I also have to bring up the issue from above where the apps forget what you were listening to. There are two stages to this: on some apps, like Tidal, the app completely forgets what you were listening to. For Spotify and Tidal, only the widget forgets what you were listening to. So once you click through and open the App, Spotify would remember, but Tidal would not. This is incredibly frustrating and I really miss how this always worked in GPM. I did not test this functionality on YouTube Music.</p>
<h2><a name="price"></a>Price</h2>
<p>Amazon Prime Music is "free" with a limited catalog if you have Amazon Prime. This is a tempting proposition for those who already have it. However, it's a lack luster experience otherwise. The app is fine, but lacks Google Home integration and it's music discovery is average at best. Otherwise, Amazon Prime Music Premium costs about as much as the others at $8 CAD. Tidal has quality tiers. So at it's normal quality, it costs as much as the rest at $10 CAD, but at it's premium quality tier, it's twice the price of the others at $20 CAD. Honestly, if you're not going to Tidal for their premium quality tier, don't bother. Spotify has one advantage in that they have a "duo" plan which is like a family plan for only two people. This was great for us and is less expensive than family plans. Lastly, if you stick with YouTube Music, it only costs a few more dollars (or is outright included in some countries) to get YouTube Premium, which is a feature I can't live without. </p>
<h2><a name="categorization"></a>Music Categorization & Sorting</h2>
<p>The only reason I added this category is because of how badly Google screwed up with YouTube Music. Especially when it comes to sorting and categorizing your own uploads. Now of course, this is not a problem with other services as they simply lack that feature entirely. As in the ease of use section,<a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/googleplaymusic/comments/icmwdf/one_comprehensive_list_of_youtube_music/"> I defer to the long list of tracked features on this reddit post.</a> There is just too many issues to go over. </p>
<h2><a name="follow"></a>Device Follow</h2>
<p>Now this is a category I didn't initially have in the list, but added it because it's a feature that only exists in Spotify. All the other services don't track you over all your devices. So in GPM, whatever song I was playing last on my Phone, is what I'll return to when I pick up my phone, even after listening to something else on my desktop or Google Home speaker. Spotify remembers, and will track your track, playlist and position. So you're listening to Ahead by a Century on your Desktop and are half way through it. Stop, get into your car, plug in your phone and you continue right where you left off. Now, that's the theory anyways. It works about 50% of the time. Still, if Spotify works on improving the reliability of this feature, it's rather nice. </p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>I can't tell you which service to go with. What you choose is dependant on how you weigh the features of these different services. If ultimate sound quality is the most important, or Android Auto support etc. you will choose the right service for those features. </p>
<p>For me, it was a mix of convenience, and platform support. I wanted a service that continued to work just as well on Android Auto and Google Home as GPM did. That service was Spotify. I miss some aspects of GPM, like the digital locker and the superior playlist algorythms, but overall I'm happy with Spotify. However, if Tidal gains Google Home integration and fixes a few of their minor app bugs, I will most likely switch to it. Having higher quality music is noticeable and something I appreciate. As it is Tidal is not there yet so Spotify will do. Thankfully, services like <a href="https://soundiiz.com/">Soundiiz</a> make switching easy now.</p>
Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-70442855658970552092020-01-04T13:44:00.004-05:002020-01-04T13:44:43.189-05:00Response to bikelanes.caSomeone who hates bike lanes registered <a href="http://bikelanes.ca/rose-cycling-is-not-an-efficient-way-to-travel-time-to-bring-back-sanity-to-ottawa-streets/">bikelanes.ca</a> and posted a bunch of nonsense about cycling in Ottawa.<br />
<br />
Here is my response to their main points:<br />
<br />
<i>"Cyclists must be licensed"</i><br />
<br />
Why? Every study by every city that has looked at this in North America shows that it would be a giant waste of time. <a href="https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/streets-parking-transportation/cycling-in-toronto/cycling-and-the-law/bicycle-licencing/">Here is the city of Toronto's take on it.</a> Most importantly, unlike cars, it's rather hard to cause damage or injury/death with a bicycle. You could argue that we should charge as much as required to cover the cost, but considering that would be in the realm of $100-200 which is about the average value of bikes on the road, that would be ridiculous and unreasonably punitive. That, and many cyclists already have drivers licenses. So it's kind of a moot point.<br />
<br />
<i>"Cyclists must have insurance"</i><br />
<br />
Most people are already insured for cycling. Bodily injury is covered by your provincial health coverage and the property is covered by your home/property insurance. The Insurance board has already stated that it's not worth their time to pursue liability insurance because of how little there is.<br />
<br />
<i>"Cyclists must have a licence plate"</i><br />
<br />
Car drivers don't have license plates. Cars do. So what you're actually asking for is registration for bicycles. This is the same argument as the licensing issue above.<br />
<br />
<i>"Cyclists must not be allowed to ride on sidewalks, pedestrian overpasses, or the Sparks Street mall. to name a few"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<a href="https://ottawa.ca/en/parking-roads-and-travel/road-safety/cycling-safety">Cyclists are not allowed to ride on the sidewalk.</a> Multi use paths are fair game though. There are exclusively pedestrian overpasses which are signed as such and then yes, cyclists should not ride but walk their bikes.<br />
<br />
<i>"Cyclists must not be allowed to break numerous laws, including running
red lights, running stop signs, excessive speed on shared pathways; and
riding the wrong way on one-way streets, to name a few"</i><br />
<br />
Let me know as soon as you've figured out how to prevent car drivers from doing the same and then we'll talk.<br />
<br />
<i>"Cyclists must be required to have all necessary safety equipment"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
You didn't list what you think is necessary safety equipment. <a href="http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/bicycle-safety.shtml">I don't know how this differs from the safety equipment a cyclists is required to have by the MTO.</a><br />
<br />
<i>"Cyclists must be treated the same as car users in all forms of enforcement."</i><br />
<br />
I wish they were. Instead, cyclists are generally treated far worse by law enforcement. Car drivers are treated much more leniently.<br />
<br />
"If you applied all these requirements to cyclists, I can guarantee you
that there would not be such growth with cycling in this city."<br />
<br />
So if you're goal, is simply to stem the growth of cycling, then sure, go do all these things. But that is an incredibly callous thing to do just because you don't like the chosen form of transport.<br />
<br />
"However, as a mode of transportation, it is barely adequate at best. If
done according to the law, it is not an efficient way to travel."<br />
<br />
That is simply not true. Many people, like myself, routinely drop off their kids and school, go to work, do groceries and other shopping all by bike. It's not only far cheaper than driving, but far healthier as well.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<br />Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-88125568405997663912018-11-13T21:25:00.005-05:002018-11-14T12:39:01.620-05:00What you need for Winter RidingI ride year round. Every day, whether it's raining or snowing I'm out there. When the weather gets really bad, you need to dress correctly for the conditions. You also need to make sure your bike is ready.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jtm9uEbkRQ4/W-t5JtSXDnI/AAAAAAABE34/9hhFzlt-n0M5xrNJswutkDXJ1kF5cKJ4gCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_20150113_092022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jtm9uEbkRQ4/W-t5JtSXDnI/AAAAAAABE34/9hhFzlt-n0M5xrNJswutkDXJ1kF5cKJ4gCKgBGAs/s320/IMG_20150113_092022.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2>
Getting your bike ready for winter</h2>
<div>
I'm not a fan of the winter beater bike concept. I like riding a good well maintained bike all year. So instead I just make sure my bike is up to the task of winter. Either grease and oil the bike for the oncoming salt storm or get a bike shop to do it.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What you should service/grease/oil before winter (and after)</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>pedals</li>
<li>derailleurs</li>
<li>hubs</li>
<li>bottom bracket</li>
<li>chain</li>
</ol>
<h3>
Tires</h3>
<div>
The next big thing is tires.. Chances are your regular tires are not up to the task unless you are riding a mountain bike, and even then, I recommend winter specific tires. I personally use the Continental Top Contact Winter tire. <a href="https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5057-333/Top-Contact-Winter-II-700-x-37-Reflex-Folding-Tire" target="_blank">There is now a version II sold by MEC.</a></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0w4RxfvCZmM/W-t6kQf73iI/AAAAAAABE4E/7yVAtc2ENMIRbf9SPrcX7ZWJ6iZp5J_0ACLcBGAs/s1600/top-contact-winter2-premium-ct-s1-01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="570" height="258" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0w4RxfvCZmM/W-t6kQf73iI/AAAAAAABE4E/7yVAtc2ENMIRbf9SPrcX7ZWJ6iZp5J_0ACLcBGAs/s320/top-contact-winter2-premium-ct-s1-01.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is a winter compound tire without spikes. For most people this is sufficient for winter riding in the city. If you really want to be safe, you can get the <a href="https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5064-666/Winter-K-Guard-HS-396-700c-Wire-Tire" target="_blank">Schwalbe Winter tire from MEC</a>. You will gain the piece of mind of protection against slips on ice, but at a cost of lower rolling resistance and weight. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you plan to only ride during clear snow free days, you can get away without using winter specific tires. The city does a good job of clearing and salting the roads.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h3>
Fenders</h3>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Cascadia II Hybrid Fenders Black" class="srcset-image__content" data-high-res-src="https://cdn.mec.ca/medias/sys_master/high-res/high-res/8806385942558/5024721-BK000.jpg" data-image-fit="fill" data-pagespeed-url-hash="3964228789" height="320" src="https://mec.imgix.net/medias/sys_master/high-res/high-res/8806385942558/5024721-BK000.jpg?w=600&h=600&auto=format&q=60&fit=fill&bg=FFF" srcset="
https://mec.imgix.net/medias/sys_master/high-res/high-res/8806385942558/5024721-BK000.jpg?w=1200&h=1200&auto=format&q=60&fit=fill&bg=FFF 2x,
https://mec.imgix.net/medias/sys_master/high-res/high-res/8806385942558/5024721-BK000.jpg?w=600&h=600&auto=format&q=60&fit=fill&bg=FFF 1x,
" width="320" /></div>
</div>
<div>
This is probably one of the most important parts on this list. Nobody wants to be covered in road sludge. MEC carries an excellent line of inexpensive yet durable fenders from Planet Bike. I personally use the <a href="https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5024-721/Cascadia-II-Hybrid-Fenders" target="_blank">Cascadia Hybrid Fenders</a>. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Lights</h3>
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You need to be as visible as possible in the winter conditions. It's dark out there, and if it's snowing, visibility is poor. The crappy blinking lights you probably have are useless in these conditions. You need a set of high quality bright lights on solid (not blinking) mode. I'm personally a fan of the <a href="https://www.lezyne.com/products-led.php" target="_blank">Lezyne lights</a>. I find them great build quality, good battery tech and bright. I have something similar to the <a href="https://www.sweetpetes.com/product/lezyne-hecto-drive-400xl-femto-pair-307216-1.htm" target="_blank">Hecto Drive Pair</a>.</div>
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Your Head</h2>
<div>
As you can see from the picture above, when it gets really cold, I leave no skin exposed. I need glasses to see, so goggles with prescription lenses are a must. If you don't need glasses, then I actually recommend just using a balaclava and leaving your eyes uncovered to prevent fogging up. I also use a Bern "Snowbording" helmet instead of a bike helmet. They are the same as their bicycle helmets except for the liner and the clip for the goggle strap. You don't need to go that far unless like me, you need glasses and don't want to wear contacts (and maybe already ski and have goggles already). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Some recommended products for cold/wet/winter weather:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5024-810/Drencher-Helmet-Cover" target="_blank">MEC Helmet Cover</a></li>
<li><a href="https://ca.icebreaker.com/en/accessories/pocket-hat/IBM200.html?dwvar_IBM200_color=412" target="_blank">Ice Breaker Marino Wool Beanie for under your helmet</a></li>
<li><a href="https://ca.icebreaker.com/en/accessories/flexi-chute/100962.html?dwvar_100962_color=003" target="_blank">Ice Breaker Chute</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5061-017/Combo-Clava-Balaclava" target="_blank">A balaclava that has good ventilation but full coverage</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5054-460/Mistral-Multi-Tasker-Pro" target="_blank">The new version of the balaclava I use,</a> which has a flip back feature so can be used just as a neck warmer easily. </li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
Your Body</h2>
<div>
There are several problems you're trying to solve when cycling in cold and wet weather.</div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Water/Wind proof</li>
<li>Breathable </li>
<li>Reflective/visible</li>
</ol>
<div>
Unfortunately, an article of clothing that has all of the above costs money. Compromising on the first two points means you'll be miserable. Compromising on the last means you could not make it to your destination as riding in the winter means poor visibility for all.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You can get insulated winter tights, and for longer commutes of greater than 10kms, that's what you might want to get. But my commute is short enough that I like having shells over my regular pants.<br />
<br />
You'll also want a warm layer. You probably have something already, but any Marino Wool base layer is great for this application. Ice Breaker has a line of high quality stuff, but MEC has it's own less expensive line as well.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
My kit is mostly Gore Bike Wear stuff. However, it seems they have gotten rid of their commuter line, so I'll try to choose the products from their current line that make the most sense:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5059-033/C3-Gore-Tex-Active-Jacket" target="_blank">Gore Active Jacket</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.gorewear.com/us/en-us/gore-c7-gore-tex-pro-hooded-jacket-100170.html?dwvar_100170_color=9900&cgid=gw_men_clothing_jackets#prefn1=backpackUse&prefn2=fabricTechnology&prefv1=Use+With+Backpack&prefv2=GORE-TEX%C2%AE+PRODUCTS&start=3&cgid=gw_men_clothing_jackets" target="_blank">Gore Pro Jacket</a> (better but far more expensive)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5059-041/C3-Gore-Tex-Active-Pants" target="_blank">Gore Active Pant</a></li>
</ol>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you want to spend a less money, and have slightly bulkier clothing, MECs line of cycling specific gear is good value.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5034-302/Revolution-Jacket" target="_blank">MEC Revolution Jacket</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5034-306/Revolution-Pants" target="_blank">MEC Revolution Pants</a></li>
</ol>
<div>
If you already have good high tech breathable gear, but is none reflective, consider getting:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5046-937/LED-Run-Vest" target="_blank">A reflective Vest</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5050-143/Ankle-Strap" target="_blank">Reflective Ankle Straps</a></li>
</ol>
</div>
<h2>
Your Feet</h2>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
Now this is the easy one, just wear whatever you want that keeps your feet warm and dry. There is nothing special here. </div>
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<a href="https://www.rei.com/media/d5fd6eed-e8bc-4849-9274-0f9992ba534f?size=784x588" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for shimano XM9" border="0" height="252" src="https://www.rei.com/media/d5fd6eed-e8bc-4849-9274-0f9992ba534f?size=784x588" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div>
Unless you want to ride clipless pedals. I highly recommend ordering the <a href="https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ca/en/shimano-xm9-gore-tex-mtb-spd-boots-aw17/rp-prod138016" target="_blank">Shimano XM9 Gore-Tex shoes</a>. Though they are available in North America now, they are far cheaper from Chain Reaction in the UK. I have the previous generation of these and they are great. Shimano has very consistent sizing, so if you can figure out what Shimano shoes fit you, it's safe to order them online here.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
Your Hands</h2>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="C5 Gore-Tex Thermo Gloves Neon Yellow/Black" class="srcset-image__content" data-high-res-src="https://cdn.mec.ca/medias/sys_master/high-res/high-res/8954419576862/5059161-NYL04.jpg" data-image-fit="fill" data-pagespeed-url-hash="1349122926" height="320" src="https://mec.imgix.net/medias/sys_master/high-res/high-res/8954419576862/5059161-NYL04.jpg?w=600&h=600&auto=format&q=60&fit=fill&bg=FFF" srcset="
https://mec.imgix.net/medias/sys_master/high-res/high-res/8954419576862/5059161-NYL04.jpg?w=1200&h=1200&auto=format&q=60&fit=fill&bg=FFF 2x,
https://mec.imgix.net/medias/sys_master/high-res/high-res/8954419576862/5059161-NYL04.jpg?w=600&h=600&auto=format&q=60&fit=fill&bg=FFF 1x,
" width="320" /></div>
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I've left the worst for last. So maybe I'm crazy, but I find that I need a different pair of gloves for every 10 degree temperature difference outside. Having hands that are too cold is horrible, especially for longer rides. Having gloves that are too hot is worse, as first you sweat, and then the damp makes it even colder. Gloves are also highly subjective due to fit and your natural body temperature. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here are my recommendations for different temperature ranges.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>-10° to 5° <a href="https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5059-161/C5-Gore-Tex-Thermo-Gloves" target="_blank">Gore Gore-Tex Thermo Gloves</a></li>
<li>-20° to -10° <a href="https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5043-542/P-R-O-AmFIB-Lobster-Gloves" target="_blank">Pearl Izumi Lobsters</a></li>
<li>Below -20° <a href="https://www.sweetpetes.com/product/bar-mitts-mountain-commuter-8763.htm" target="_blank">Bar Mits</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
You'll notice the last option isn't a glove at all. It's actually a giant mit for your bike you slide your hands into. For your hands, then you only need a thin liner. Only for the truly crazy I guess.<br />
<br /></div>
<h2>
Final Words</h2>
</div>
<div>
There are people who are going to read this and scoff. I've spent too much money and it's unnecessary. I've been riding year round for years now and I'm willing to spend the money to be comfortable and dry. This is what I've found I needed to do. Your mileage, of course may vary.</div>
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Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-80925343165285372782016-07-09T15:13:00.001-04:002016-07-11T15:36:26.013-04:00LG X Power quick reviewSo my trusty old Google Nexus 5 was starting to be a little less trusty. Specifically the GPS stopped working properly. Looks like the antenna isn't working right but I haven't been able to fix it. At about this same time, I see an announcement for the LG X Power. A mid range smartphone with a huge 4100mah battery. Not only that, but it's available on <a href="https://www.windmobile.ca/plans-and-devices/mobile-devices/device-details/lg-x-power" target="_blank">Wind for free on Wintab</a>. As a Wind customer, I decided to try it out as a temporary replacement until the HTC made Nexus line gets released later this year.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--51cYW0mMQU/V4FLFRFm28I/AAAAAAAAvWM/S-Quvabv92cqdKha5RCuyFMid7LgEwijACK4B/s1600/X-power.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--51cYW0mMQU/V4FLFRFm28I/AAAAAAAAvWM/S-Quvabv92cqdKha5RCuyFMid7LgEwijACK4B/s1600/X-power.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
For $250 CAD, this is a great phone. It's got middle of the road specs, but in every case that is fine. I Quad core 1.3Ghz Processor that felt adequate. 16GB of Storage, which is fine since it has a Micro SD card slot. The phone is rather large for my tastes, which makes the 720p screen more noticeable that it would be on a smaller screen. It lacks NFC, but in Canada that is not a huge deal as mobile payments are still being neutered by banks and carriers. LGs flavour of Android is ok, but most can be quickly replaced with stock Google apps, like the launcher. The biggest feature of this phone though is the huge battery. Something that other phones these days is sorely lacking. The big phone of the moment is the OnePlus 3. It's a great phone, if your battery lasts long enough for you to use it. This phone doesn't excel at anything except that you can seriously use the phone all day and still have battery life leftover. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The biggest let down, and why I ultimately returned the phone, is that the bootloader is locked. This is also why I didn't get any photos of the actual phone I had. LG provides a tool to unlock the bootloaders of their phones. That tool did not support this phone at the time of writing. Even if it did, unlocking is irreversible and voids the warranty. For me this is a must, but if you don't care, I highly recommend this phone as a middle of the road phone.</div>
Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-3269786710279502922016-06-23T07:51:00.005-04:002022-04-08T10:18:55.995-04:00While Britain ponders leaving the EUI came about these two quotes:<br />
<br />
"A great deal of democratic enthusiasm descends from people like Rousseau, who believed in democracy because they thought mankind so wise and good that everyone deserved a share in the government. The danger of defending democracy on those grounds is that they are not true...I do not deserve a share in governing a hen-roost much less a nation. Nor do most people...The real reason for democracy is just the reverse. Mankind is so fallen that no man can be trusted with unchecked power over his fellows. Aristotle said that some people were only fit to be slaves. I do not contradict him. But I reject slavery because I see no men fit to be masters."<br />
<br />
- C. S. Lewis, Equality<br />
<br />
"The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter."<br />
<br />
- Winston Churchill<br />
<br />
Sad but true.Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-38953853295493272782015-09-02T21:23:00.002-04:002015-09-02T21:37:07.878-04:00Biking and camping trip in Quebec's Eastern Townships<a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/116957917251896223928" target="_blank">+Laura Krick</a> and I along with our friend <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104233357861877666235" target="_blank">+Tee Lew</a> took a trip to Quebec. There are many reasons to do this.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Quebec, especially the Eastern Townships, have cycling infrastructure dedicated to long distance cycling.</li>
<li>Quebec cheese.</li>
<li>Quebec Beer.</li>
<li>Beautiful scenery that contains mountains.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Our original trip had to be modified because the weather in the places we wanted to go was not going to be pleasant on the first few days. So instead of going right into the townships, we went to Montreal first.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
Day 1</h2>
<div>
A long drive from Toronto to Montreal. We decided to see a lock on the west end of Montreal and eat at one of the many restaurants on the river shore.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VrOhkrJlkfk/VeUKLHu64iI/AAAAAAAAqgA/JMfsURvgAus/s1600/DSCN3669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VrOhkrJlkfk/VeUKLHu64iI/AAAAAAAAqgA/JMfsURvgAus/s320/DSCN3669.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
We stayed at <a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Motel+Le+Marquis/@45.5842079,-73.542048,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xa271e1bd7137d4ba" target="_blank">a motel that was not that great</a> and I would not recommend it. The rooms smelled of dust and the AC was loud. The WiFi was next to unusable.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
Day 2</h2>
<div>
Tania wanted to see a furniture supplier in Montreal near were we were staying, and we got a chance to tag along to see if there was anything we liked for the house. Tania was successful, we were not. Then off to the first location for our camping trip, Granby. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d44825.26377519169!2d-72.75432254999997!3d45.39766300000002!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x4cc9ce3f50905aff%3A0xd833dbb1e7b33892!2sGranby%2C+QC!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sca!4v1441244184192" style="border: 0;" width="400"></iframe>
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<br />
We actually stayed in <a href="http://www.sepaq.com/pq/yam/index.dot?language_id=1" target="_blank">Parc national de la Yamaska</a> ("National" park of Quebec). It was a very nice park on a man made lake. Sadly Granby seems to the location of at least one abattoir, so depending on which way the wind was blowing, the smell could sometimes be unpleasant.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9zVhSAh0XDA/VeUKLI5VySI/AAAAAAAAqgQ/SsCS2x-YIEc/s1600/DSCN3680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9zVhSAh0XDA/VeUKLI5VySI/AAAAAAAAqgQ/SsCS2x-YIEc/s320/DSCN3680.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Laura got very comfortable in no time in her new camp chair. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JXibfckIQxU/VeUKLEJ_6AI/AAAAAAAAqg4/DhTQguEA7WI/s1600/DSCN3697.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JXibfckIQxU/VeUKLEJ_6AI/AAAAAAAAqg4/DhTQguEA7WI/s320/DSCN3697.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It was a lot of setup for one night, but the weather forced our hand.</div>
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Day 3</h2>
<div>
We had breakfast and packed up. This was going to be our first day of biking. <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/382153127" target="_blank">Approximately 54KMs from Yamaska to Mt. Orford via Magog.</a></div>
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<div>
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I had a new setup where my Nikon AW100 was mounted to my handlebars allowing me to take convenient photos as I was riding.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JWD9xH-tdw8/VeUKLLax4kI/AAAAAAAAqhM/0imAZ1uV5tc/s1600/DSCN3702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JWD9xH-tdw8/VeUKLLax4kI/AAAAAAAAqhM/0imAZ1uV5tc/s320/DSCN3702.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here you can see the damn that made the lake the park surrounds.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hirf4CKEIOg/VeUKLEs4JfI/AAAAAAAAqhQ/p-zxa7bGrtA/s1600/DSCN3704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hirf4CKEIOg/VeUKLEs4JfI/AAAAAAAAqhQ/p-zxa7bGrtA/s320/DSCN3704.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UqHZmFfFGsY/VeUKLJUaWDI/AAAAAAAAqhY/JyitxpGYlS0/s1600/DSCN3707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UqHZmFfFGsY/VeUKLJUaWDI/AAAAAAAAqhY/JyitxpGYlS0/s320/DSCN3707.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">We managed to meet up in Waterloo to have lunch.</span></div>
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The scenery was beautiful.</div>
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It took a long while to get to Mt. Orford and setup. So much so that we didn't have enough time or energy to make a meal, so we went to St. Hurbert's which was close to the park for dinner.</div>
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Day 4</h2>
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No biking today.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d89910.86505364261!2d-72.14566515!3d45.23334199999999!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x4cb637ee211e5d5f%3A0x5040cadb2a2a2e0!2sMagog%2C+QC!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sca!4v1441244057994" style="border: 0;" width="400"></iframe> </div>
Magog is a nice little town the the surrounding countryside has a lot to offer. One of the most important orders of business in this area is visiting the <a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Abbaye+De+St-Beno%C3%AEt-Du-Lac/@45.16635,-72.271,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x287b447063552d52" target="_blank">Abbaye De St-Benoît-Du-Lac</a>. This is a modern Abbey, where the monks make cheese and hard cider. We all had a lot of fun shopping there and checking out the Abbey.</div>
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Afterwards some more shopping of local fare like jams and soaps.</div>
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We also dropped by the local big bike store in Magog where Tania picked up an nice pair of Specialized Cycling shoes and I picked up a Specialized cap. That nights dinner was Steak!</div>
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Getting ready to cook.</div>
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Day 5</h2>
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Another day, another camp site to pack up. Due to weather, we had to setup and takedown too often in a short period of time. It put a bit of stress on our trip but that's how it was. Due to how unmotivated we were to take things down quickly, we decided not to do the full ride today from Mt. Orford to Sherbrooke. That would have been over 50KMs. Instead, we all drove to Magog and then set out from there.</div>
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This also gave Laura and I the opportunity to take a very special photo. Here we are aprox. 5 years after I proposed to Laura on this spot (or abouts).</div>
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<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/382146805" target="_blank">Tania and I then set off on our ride.</a></div>
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Lots of long steady inclines.</div>
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Lots of train track crossings as well.</div>
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Getting close.</div>
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We also decided that we were tired of camping, so we stayed at <a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Hotel+Jardins+de+Ville/@45.384688,-71.965025,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x4cb7b4b4e177cde9:0x406705788af80a1d" target="_blank">Hotel Jardins de Ville</a>. It was relatively convenient and very close to the bike highway. Our first order of business after finding a place to stay was dinner. </div>
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<a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/117384911208331200428" target="_blank">+Stephen van Egmond</a> once showed me a place on Rue King that made a great baked potato dish and had a great selection of micro brews. <a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Micro-Brasserie+La+Mare+au+Diable/@45.400905,-71.8916509,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x4cb7b30fdcb95179:0xf15161f3f25b421a" target="_blank">Micro-Brasserie La Mare au Diable</a>, and they now brew their own beer! </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_DkxsGrY8M/VeULSAuI5EI/AAAAAAAAqio/KUMTTj7namQ/s1600/IMG_20150828_195824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_DkxsGrY8M/VeULSAuI5EI/AAAAAAAAqio/KUMTTj7namQ/s320/IMG_20150828_195824.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Day 6</h2>
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We started out our day by having breakfast at one of the <a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Eggsquis/@45.4043107,-71.9537973,13z/data=!3m1!5s0x4cb7b494e84d1f51:0x1e314697109e6123!4m5!1m2!2m1!1seggsquis!3m1!1s0x0000000000000000:0x0d3b49698b58cf0e" target="_blank">Eggsquis </a>location in Sherbrooke. It's similar to Cora's or Egg Smart here in Ontario, but far better than Egg Smart and slightly better that Cora's. We then went to the mall to check out some Quebec brands. Lastly, we went to the best bike shop in Sherbrooke, <a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/V%C3%A9lomania/@45.3857969,-71.963458,18z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0000000000000000:0x8570c97494adafc1" target="_blank">Vélomania</a>. It's amazing how nice a store like this is in a town much smaller than Toronto.</div>
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Now one thing we were dissapointed with up to this point in our trip, was the poutine. Tania was having none of it and directed us to <a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Restaurant+La+Belle+Province+de+Sherbrooke/@45.3902868,-71.92843,13z/data=!4m5!1m2!2m1!1sla+belle+province+restaurant+sherbrooke!3m1!1s0x0000000000000000:0xd04507402922c268" target="_blank">La Belle Province</a>. A chain of diners in Quebec that does indeed serve a very good poutine. </div>
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<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/382152479" target="_blank">After lunch, we all went for a bike ride to the centre of Sherbrooke via the bike highway.</a></div>
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It was a nice day, but sadly, not warm enough for any swimming.<br />
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Observe, Laura on a bike!</div>
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Tania with her new matching cycling shoes!</div>
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Day 7</h2>
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This is it, the last day of our trip. We of course had to go back to <a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Eggsquis/@45.4043107,-71.9537973,13z/data=!3m1!5s0x4cb7b494e84d1f51:0x1e314697109e6123!4m5!1m2!2m1!1seggsquis!3m1!1s0x0000000000000000:0x0d3b49698b58cf0e" target="_blank">Eggsquis</a> for our last vacation breakfast.</div>
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Then off to a hydro electric power station on our way home, the<a href="http://www.hydroquebec.com/visit/monteregie/beauharnois.html" target="_blank"> Beauharnois Hydroelectric Generating Station</a>.</div>
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The ride home was otherwise uneventful. Except for this.</div>
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Nothing like a fellow cyclist in training!</div>
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<br />Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-1978856941505530612014-12-21T13:36:00.001-05:002014-12-22T08:48:49.484-05:00PSB M4U 2 headphone failure and fixI had wanted a nice pair of noise cancelling headphones for some time. The undisputed champion of "noise cancelling" is Bose. At the time this was the QC15, more recently replaced by the QC25. I have tried many NC headphones, and can confirm that the noise cancelling system in these headphones is amazing. However, they are rubbish to actually listen to music on. So after trying out a bunch of headphones, I went with the <a href="http://www.psbspeakers.com/products/headphones/M4U-2-Headphones" target="_blank">PSB M4U 2s</a>.<br />
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These headphones appealed to me for many reasons. The sound out of them was excellent. They offered not only noise cancelling, but also had a built in amplifier that could be turned on without NC. The cable was removable and could be attached to either side of the headphones. They functioned as a headset. They functioned and sounded great with no battery at all (passive). And lastly, they seamed very well built. No plastic snaps but screws all over, with metal and high quality polycarbonate.<br />
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If there was one downside it was the price. And really, the price was justified but I didn't want to spend $400 at the time. I managed to find them used for half that. I have enjoyed wearing these almost every day for over a year. But two weeks ago the left channel just stopped working.<br />
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Customer Service & Warranty</h2>
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I contacted PSB about getting them fixed. I didn't expect warranty service because I purchased them used, but I was expecting to be able to pay to have them fixed. This proved to be false. Unlike PSBs other products, which are made right here in Ontario, Canada, their headphones are made in China. PSB informed me that they do not service out of warranty headphones. I called the two closest authorized PSB dealers, and was informed that they cannot service them because PSB does not supply parts and I should contact PSB directly. I contacted PSB again about getting parts, and they informed me that they do not provide parts. So it appears, that if you have a fault with your M4Us after the 2 year warranty has expired, you're on your own.<br />
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The Flaw</h2>
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First off, these headphones were purchased used. It's very possible that this flaw was fixed in later units. I took apart the left side of my M4Us. As expected, the headphones are well built using hardware instead of glue and plastic snaps. This was until I get it all apart. On the inside it was apparent that PSB chose form over function. The cable used to connect the two halves of the headphones together was wholly inadequate. It was tiny, to facilitate hiding it within the head band.</div>
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I've created an image with two areas highlighted. You can see that the individual cables fray where they come out of the sheathing a 1. One of the cables for the speaker was being held by just one copper strand when I took things apart. You can see in the area marked with 2 that another wire had completely come disconnected. 2. also illustrates what I would call the main design or assembly flaw. The cable sheathing terminated right where the housing ends for the main body of the headphone earpiece. I've pulled it out to work on it, but this explains the fraying. The cables were rubbing up against the plastic here. </div>
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Overall, there are 12 conductors coming in through that tiny cable. They are small and fragile. I had another 3 come off their solder joints just while trying to take the unit apart. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
The Fix</h2>
<div>
You will need the following items to fix these headphones:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>#0 Philips screwdriver</li>
<li>#6 Torx Screwdriver</li>
<li>tweezers and/or small needle nose pliers</li>
<li>precision wire cutters</li>
<li>thin masking or electrical tape</li>
<li>precision tip temperature controlled soldering iron</li>
<li>flux</li>
<li>heat shrink tubing</li>
<li>heat source for shrinking the tubing</li>
</ol>
<div>
You might also need extra cable if things are really bad. <a href="http://www.dx.com/p/diy-replacement-plastic-copper-wire-for-earphones-orange-1-2m-10pcs-328989" target="_blank">I found replacement headphone cable on Deal Extreme which I have ordered but didn't need. </a></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8AZ3uL0DK0/VJcN0rqeUcI/AAAAAAAAkRY/-KwV9Bhna2U/s1600/IMG_20141221_100048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8AZ3uL0DK0/VJcN0rqeUcI/AAAAAAAAkRY/-KwV9Bhna2U/s1600/IMG_20141221_100048.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Take apart the headphones by fist removing the ear padding on the side that has stopped working.</li>
<li>This will expose 4 Philips screws holding the speaker into place.</li>
<li>Be careful pulling the speaker housing away as there is very little slack in the cable.</li>
<li>Twist the speaking housing to get to the two Philips screws holding the main body together.</li>
<li>Place the speaker housing back into the cover for the main body to prevent accidentally dislodging any cables further.</li>
<li>Again, be careful pulling this second part away as there is little slack in the cable.</li>
<li>Use your pliers or tweezers to remove the tape holding down the wire. </li>
<li>At this point you have enough clearance to start unscrewing the part of the headband that holds the speaker in place. This is where you need the Torx screwdriver. </li>
<li>Take apart the two halves of the speaker holder, pay attention to the copper spring attached to the metal armature and remove the cable from the cable guide.</li>
<li>Now you have slack in the main cable which will allow you to pull it into the main part of the speaker housing so that you can work.</li>
<li>At this point I would take a photo of all the cables so that you have a reference of what goes where if something has gone wrong later.</li>
<li>Cut away any excess wire that has frayed from any split connections.</li>
<li>Add flux to the two halves of the cable you have to repair and lightly tin the ends (360c was good for this application) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0Pm7AXgF-0g/VJcP5Cchi5I/AAAAAAAAkRk/vandJXX4sEA/s1600/IMG_20141220_103320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0Pm7AXgF-0g/VJcP5Cchi5I/AAAAAAAAkRk/vandJXX4sEA/s1600/IMG_20141220_103320.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Cut a small amount of shrink tubing and slide it over one end (I used too much)</li>
<li>Use pliers, or ideally self closing ones to hold the two halves of the cable with a bit of overlap and use your soldering iron to melt the solder together. Try not to burn a whole in the ear padding of the other speaker :(<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-romBqqRUjZg/VJcRJXneJEI/AAAAAAAAkR0/WKZ_Qr2MIi4/s1600/IMG_20141220_102338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-romBqqRUjZg/VJcRJXneJEI/AAAAAAAAkR0/WKZ_Qr2MIi4/s1600/IMG_20141220_102338.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Let the joint cool sufficiently and then slide the heat shrink tubing over the connection. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hCvhZGylXJw/VJcQrzW2EgI/AAAAAAAAkRs/aEBVSMz-SvY/s1600/IMG_20141220_104604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hCvhZGylXJw/VJcQrzW2EgI/AAAAAAAAkRs/aEBVSMz-SvY/s1600/IMG_20141220_104604.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></li>
<li>Tug on both ends of the cable to make sure you have a solid connection. </li>
<li>Use a heat gun or other source to shrink the tubing over the solder joint.</li>
<li>I would also check all the other solder connections at this point and re-solder them if needed. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VjGdmA2Z2ZU/VJcSpNgbxeI/AAAAAAAAkSA/zXOH5a6Ddes/s1600/IMG_20141220_105701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VjGdmA2Z2ZU/VJcSpNgbxeI/AAAAAAAAkSA/zXOH5a6Ddes/s1600/IMG_20141220_105701.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>At this point I would test the headphones by plugging in a source, putting in batteries and make sure everything works.</li>
<li>Once the test works out, pull the cable out so that only a bit of the housing is left inside the headphones. I used some electrical tape to add some buffer for further fraying.</li>
<li>Then use more tape to hold down the cable so it doesn't get in the way of re-assembly. </li>
<li>You now have to re-assemble the armature that holds the speaker unit. First lay out the headphone cable into the cable guide. The slack goes at the head-padding end for extension. </li>
<li>Make sure to place the copper spring in place into the metal armature.</li>
<li>Getting the two halves of the speaker holder together while keeping the cable in place was probably the hardest part of re-assembly. I have no advice other than growing another few limbs</li>
<li>Then re-assemble the main speaker housing in reverse of how it was taken apart. </li>
</ol>
<div>
There you have it. If you have any questions feel free to comment below and I'll try to answer them. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Hopefully PSB has fixed this issue in later production runs or plans to. For what is otherwise an excellent pair of headphones.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Update</h3>
Independent of this blog post, I have been in contact with PSB above. Before I published this info, I sent them a further update via their support forums about the issue that I had found. They have offered to sell me a discounted set of M4U 2s. I am taking them up on their offer. First, these are a great sounding pair of cans with great features. This will allow me to have two pairs, but more importantly, a whole spare set of parts for the one pair I really need. </div>
Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-35028967899983119422014-12-09T08:07:00.001-05:002014-12-09T08:07:23.549-05:00A great example of what is wrong with banking and the progress of technologySo I got spam from <a href="https://www.ugo.ca/" target="_blank">UGO Wallet</a> today. It's essentially Google wallet but backed by the banks. Chances are I will never get to use it, or if I do it will be years from now. This is technology at the speed of banks and mobile carriers for you. Google Wallet is not available in Canada. Even in the US, it's starting to be blocked at a lot of retailers.<br />
<br />
UGO only supports a small list of phones. You have to be using an NFC SIM Card because the NFC built into almost every modern phone is "Not Good Enough". You have to have support from your carrier, so only Rogers and Telus right now with only minor support from Bell. I'm sure they all want a cut of the action. You're using "Their Phones" after all. <br />
<br />
Why is this? User tracking. With Google Wallet, it's Google who gets to track you. That's no good for the big banks, so now they want to track you. Oh, but the cellular companies can block these features, so they come up with this ludicrous NFC SIM concept so that they can lock the feature into their cellular services. <br />
<br />
This is why we can't have nice things.Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-22404500075852478152014-09-20T22:08:00.002-04:002014-09-23T08:32:10.700-04:00Toronto to almost KingstonSo I set off on my first fully packed bike tour on Thursday after work. This is something I've been wanting to do for ages. I've been planning this in detail for months. Though this is a compromise as I originally wanted to ride from the Bruce Peninsula National Park back to Toronto.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Day 1</h2>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YwYp3YM6lMk/VBt7paipoVI/AAAAAAAAiP0/8agp6K40MEU/s1600/Toronto%2Bto%2BKingston%2B-%2B1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YwYp3YM6lMk/VBt7paipoVI/AAAAAAAAiP0/8agp6K40MEU/s1600/Toronto%2Bto%2BKingston%2B-%2B1" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
I took the Go train after work to Oshawa to bypass what is probably the worst part of a bike ride east. This also allowed me to save a vacation day. This was mostly uneventful other than frantically trying to switch trains at Union with all that baggage.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ontarioparks.com/park/darlington" target="_blank">Darlington provincial park</a> isn't very nice, mostly because you can hear the constant traffic from the 401 and the CN train line. It was also a very cold night. It went down to 2 degrees and my sleeping bag was only rated for 4. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CBMT8Aq9Iy0/VB4oCn1Z6iI/AAAAAAAAiMk/sjaOBo4tGKI/s1600/DSCN3109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CBMT8Aq9Iy0/VB4oCn1Z6iI/AAAAAAAAiMk/sjaOBo4tGKI/s1600/DSCN3109.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2>
Day 2</h2>
The next day was the longest distance of the tour. Just over 100kms to <a href="http://www.ontarioparks.com/park/presquile" target="_blank">Presqu'ile Provincial Park</a>. Right from the start things were not going well. OPG had closed a part of the waterfront trail, making me loose 5km.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PzmQmuEVqEg/VB4oFXCg2HI/AAAAAAAAiMs/-TpW1lcgtBw/s1600/DSCN3110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PzmQmuEVqEg/VB4oFXCg2HI/AAAAAAAAiMs/-TpW1lcgtBw/s1600/DSCN3110.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
The other problem with the day was the constant head wind. Normally, you want to travel east and not west as the wind tends to come from the west. Not today. I was facing 20-30km winds all day. I had a mid way point marked out in Cobourg, which I was supposed to arrive to at 1pm. Instead, I was in Port Hope at 2pm.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bg7EGLV3wig/VB4mOPgDHWI/AAAAAAAAiP0/n_tKhifFNx4/s1600/2014%2B-%2B1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bg7EGLV3wig/VB4mOPgDHWI/AAAAAAAAiP0/n_tKhifFNx4/s1600/2014%2B-%2B1" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
I had lunch at a pub just off the main street. It was nice to sit and be warm away from the wind for an hour. I was ready to give up on my original plan and tried to cancel my next two camping reservations. I was able to cancel Sand Banks for my last stay, but not that nights stay at Presqu'ile. After the one hour rest and food, plus the thought of failure motivated me to go for it. I had just over 50km to go. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F9UxsWMYDeg/VB4oRPbAGRI/AAAAAAAAiNM/G_GDdQN1vbw/s1600/DSCN3115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F9UxsWMYDeg/VB4oRPbAGRI/AAAAAAAAiNM/G_GDdQN1vbw/s1600/DSCN3115.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
I ended up making it to Cobourg at 3:30pm, 2.5 Hours behind schedule.I went to Green Canoe outfitters in Cobourg, where 2 weeks before, I had ordered a new sleeping bag for <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/116957917251896223928" target="_blank">+Laura Krick</a>. I then set off to my next camp site. The wind had died down and the going was slightly easier. I saw a lot of fields.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hYwrb3d0nGc/VB4ogsFyM1I/AAAAAAAAiN0/1tB_shjtk88/s1600/DSCN3123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hYwrb3d0nGc/VB4ogsFyM1I/AAAAAAAAiN0/1tB_shjtk88/s1600/DSCN3123.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
And a lot of views of the lake.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nYhIPQDfHRY/VB4oa9vMXAI/AAAAAAAAiNk/MEV6Qlc-BXI/s1600/DSCN3119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nYhIPQDfHRY/VB4oa9vMXAI/AAAAAAAAiNk/MEV6Qlc-BXI/s1600/DSCN3119.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
The waterfront trail in these parts isn't well signed, if at all. So someone had gone around making cute heart shaped road signs. Thank you rode sign painter. I love you too.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RRIoL87KyrM/VB4oXv5JrrI/AAAAAAAAiNc/oPClLadumbw/s1600/DSCN3117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RRIoL87KyrM/VB4oXv5JrrI/AAAAAAAAiNc/oPClLadumbw/s1600/DSCN3117.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
The last 10kms were very hard, but I finally made it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2hSH2AL1KSs/VB4omPhmDPI/AAAAAAAAiOE/V-gVjiqVUHc/s1600/DSCN3125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2hSH2AL1KSs/VB4omPhmDPI/AAAAAAAAiOE/V-gVjiqVUHc/s1600/DSCN3125.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
The notable thing about this leg of the tour is that it's also my first metric century. I've never ridden 100kms in a single day before. It would be another 4kms from this sign to my actual camp site. The longest 4kms ever. Presqu'ile caters to cyclists with bike lanes on the roads, bike paths and even offering to drive your firewood to you so you don't have to try to lug it on your bike.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nLPDGf898Ms/VB4or2Le63I/AAAAAAAAiOU/3XXdb47bbmA/s1600/DSCN3127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nLPDGf898Ms/VB4or2Le63I/AAAAAAAAiOU/3XXdb47bbmA/s1600/DSCN3127.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
First order of business was dinner. I never let myself get hungry on the ride, constantly downing nuts or energy/granola bars. Still, it was nice to sit down and eat a warm meal. Thanks to <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/116957917251896223928" target="_blank">+Laura Krick</a> for helping me plan those. The MSR Pocket Rocket stove is very good and compact. Thanks to <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/113940127634384182268" target="_blank">+Jane Sobil</a> for the <a href="http://gsioutdoors.com/activities/pdp/bugaboo_camper/car_camping" target="_blank">camp cookware set</a>.<br />
<br />
At this point I realized I was not going to make it to Kingston. Luckily, Laura had agreed to pick me up vs. me taking the train back from Kingston. Laura and I discussed me being picked up a day early. That night was one of the deepest sleeps I've ever had. I don't think I woke up once during the night.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Day 3</h2>
<br />
Though the next day I woke up at 7am, and it was overcast but warm. Laura and I
sent a few messages back and forth and we confirmed the pickup to happen in Trenton. She had to drop her days plans which was great of her. That night was supposed to rain right into Sunday. Not a great prospect
for camping, or packing up. I decided to head out and see the park and the bike paths it had to offer. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
I rode out to the light house at the end of the park. There were a lot of bird watchers all over the park, as the birds like this area. This lighthouse is lime stone covered in ceder.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
RVers also like this area<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I went back to my camp after riding around. Laura sent me the GPS coordinates of where
we would meet because I had screwed up loading maps onto my GPS and only
had the basemap and routes for the tour. <br />
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And then packed up and had lunch<br />
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The set off to Trenton, the agreed upon pickup location. The weather was really great by this point. The wind had intensified but changed direction. I was cruising at over 30km/h now. I ran into a paramedic fundraising group biking from Toronto to Kingston!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-exVBXl4Pfus/VB4xCS539YI/AAAAAAAAiQk/PiKJP4D-i3k/s1600/DSCN3154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-exVBXl4Pfus/VB4xCS539YI/AAAAAAAAiQk/PiKJP4D-i3k/s1600/DSCN3154.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Spent quite a while chatting with some of the riders. They were riding to raise money for a monument to paramedics who have lost their lives. Their ride was a supported ride over two days. I managed to keep up with their pace, even though I was fully loaded until I got stomach cramps from starting out too soon after eating lunch.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I made it to Trenton with 1.5 hours to spare. I was sad I didn't agree with Laura to meet in Belleville instead. The wind and 25 degree temperatures made the ride enjoyable, unlike the previous day.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I did get to ride around Trenton and see the town though. at 1:55pm, Laura arrived to greet a very tired me.<br />
<br />
Even though I failed in my goal, I'm happy I did this. I learned a lot about touring and my abilities. I look forward to the next one. <a href="http://www.strava.com/activities/197254221" target="_blank">You can see my entire ride in Strava.</a> <br />
<br />
<h4>
What I will do better next time around</h4>
<ol>
<li>Only pack the food I will need on the ride itself. Buy lunch and dinner items along the way so I'm not lugging all that food weight. This will also avoid the expense of freeze dried meals or the unhealthiness (saltiness) of shelf stable packed meals. </li>
<li>Do not reserve any campgrounds, especially in the Spring and Fall. It costs more at provincial parks to reserve and also forces you to keep to an itinerary you may not be able to keep. </li>
<li>Purchase and break in a Brooks saddle. </li>
<li>Eat a small lunch and then often during the ride. Stomach cramps suck.</li>
<li>Double check your GPS has all the data you need.</li>
<li>Check wind direction forecast to better plan your distances. </li>
<li>Buy a <a href="http://gsioutdoors.com/activities/pdp/pinnacle_soloist/ultralight_backpacking" target="_blank">small multi purpose pot</a> instead of a<a href="http://gsioutdoors.com/activities/pdp/bugaboo_camper/car_camping" target="_blank"> pot set like I took</a> for weight and packability.</li>
</ol>
<h4>
Other thoughts and learnings</h4>
<div>
One of the things I picked up for this tour are <a href="http://www.conti-online.com/www/bicycle_de_en/themes/city/travelcontact_en.html" target="_blank">Continental Travel Contact tires</a>. I got the folding versions at an amazing price from <a href="http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ca/en/continental-travel-contact-reflex-road-tyre/rp-prod18827" target="_blank">Chain Reaction in the UK</a>. These tires have an amazingly low rolling resistance for their size and recommended pressure. I had no flats on the ride. When it was time to traverse gravel or dirt roads/paths, the tires offered enough traction to keep my comfortably controlled with or without load. </div>
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I might look into <a href="http://sheldonbrown.com/deakins/handlebars.html" target="_blank">butterfly bars or trekking bars</a>. These appeal to me much more than drop bars on my commuter, and would allow me to continue using the existing shifter/brake leavers.<br />
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<br />Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-13772982795632768672014-04-08T12:30:00.001-04:002014-04-08T13:42:01.646-04:00Windows 8.1 recovery imageFile corruption is something that happens to all systems. With a lot of operating systems, the only course of action is a re-install. With windows 8, Microsoft introduced a method to "refresh" your install. The problem is, that you need something to refresh from. If you purchased a PC installed with Windows 8, or purchased a Windows 8 upgrade when Microsoft was practically giving them away then you may have a slight problem. If your media is Windows 8.1 you're fine, and can just use that, but it's still not ideal. If you're most likely running Windows 8.1, and your installation media is Windows 8. You won't be able to do a refresh at all as the media doesn't match. <a href="http://www.registryrecycler.com/blog/2013/08/windows-8-how-to-create-a-recovery-drive/">There is a great right up on how to create a "recovery partition" and a USB recovery drive from your current install. </a><br />
<br />
However, that is still not enough. Once you have created your recovery image, find it, rename it to INSTALL.WIM and then the following:<br />
<br />
<pre>reagentc /SetOSImage /Path "D:\refreshimage\INSTALL.WIM" /Index 1</pre>
<br />
Change your path to wherever you created your recovery image from the linked post. Then use your recovery partition checkbox in the create recovery dialog should be available.
<br />
<br />
The advantage of doing a refresh image, is that it will include all the drivers and settings and core software installs for you. For your actual files either use file history or skydrive backups. Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-75401414149535346722014-04-05T12:38:00.001-04:002014-04-09T16:04:36.556-04:00Sigma stepping up it's game with the new 50mm ArtSigma has always been a discount brand. A cheaper alternative to the big name lenses from Canon and Nikon. Over the last decade though, they've started filling in niches where the big guys have left gaps. An excellent example is the <a href="http://blog.tracer.ca/2008/10/sigma-30mm-f14-ex-dc-hsm-review.html">30mm f/1.4 EX DC</a>, a lens that gave a field of view similar to 50mm on cropped sensor cameras with a wide aperture. This wasn't the best performing lens, but at the price it was a great one to have. The 10-20mm was another example. In the last few years though, Sigma is attacking the big guys in the high end. The latest camera to do this is the 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nxivpw3tc2g/U0Aw3o83dhI/AAAAAAAAeMc/DCejpsnIJQY/s1600/311_50mm-f14_sigma_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nxivpw3tc2g/U0Aw3o83dhI/AAAAAAAAeMc/DCejpsnIJQY/s1600/311_50mm-f14_sigma_sm.jpg" height="320" width="221" /></a></div>
This lens is apparently a beast. Sigma wasn't going after Nikon or Canon here, but Zeiss! How is that for ambition. From all acounts, they may have not beaten Zeiss's 55mm f/1.4 Otus, but at less than half the price it's a clear winner. The first <a href="http://slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/1677/cat/30">review of this lens is over at SLR Gear.</a><br />
<br />
Update:<br />
We now have a price, $1030 USD. Amazing for a lens of this level. <a href="http://photorumors.com/2014/04/09/sigma-50mm-f1-4-dg-hsm-art-lens-price-and-zeiss-otus-comparison/">Source</a>Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-78013253510227148952014-03-27T10:00:00.001-04:002014-03-27T10:00:25.343-04:00Excited for Jupiter RisingI am very excited for this upcoming movie. The trailer looks amazing.<br />
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<br />Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-28323568933568754502013-12-30T18:51:00.000-05:002013-12-31T08:52:06.773-05:00Finally upgraded my cameraIt was a long time coming, but I finally upgraded my camera. Thanks to a tip from <a class="g-profile" href="http://plus.google.com/109509138335216058473" target="_blank">+Adam Maas</a>, I'm now the owner of a "new" Nikon D600 for $1200. Open Box Boxing week sale at Henry's. Full warranty though. Wasn't planning on buying anything on Boxing Week, but ended up buying a new dryer today too! :)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6H_AwwH-U8A/UsIG_cLD2kI/AAAAAAAAcjQ/2TBTyupym7E/s1600/IMG_20131230_175835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6H_AwwH-U8A/UsIG_cLD2kI/AAAAAAAAcjQ/2TBTyupym7E/s320/IMG_20131230_175835.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Patiently waiting for the battery to fully charge. Only thing missing from the camera was the triangle eyelets for the camera strap. Someone managed to remove these. I didn't notice until this posting so I'll have to call tomorrow to see if I can get my replacements. </div>
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My camera gear was sitting unused a lot as cell phones started coming out with cameras that took better pictures than my ageing D200. Will see how things go now that I have this. </div>
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Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-35469963765000536862013-07-25T08:12:00.004-04:002013-07-25T13:36:07.076-04:00Alternative Instant Messaging clients for AndroidSo <a class="g-profile" href="http://plus.google.com/116899029375914044550" target="_blank">+Google</a> has seriously screwed their instant messaging client. The one new feature that was going to be
amazing in Hangouts, notification/read syncing between devices works so poorly it
looses messages. When it did work, it worked inconsistently. I know that this only affects a small set of users, but I'm one of them. I longed for the days where my messages were simply sent to all my logged in devices. On the desktop I tried using the web client, but it didn't compare to
using a multi-protocol client like <a href="http://pidgin.im/">Pidgin</a>. So I was forced to try out alternative third party clients on Android similar to what I use on the desktop. One thing to note ahead of time, if you want Hangouts for video chat, you're stuck with having a broken Google Talk implementation as none of these clients support the video feature. <br />
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<h2>
<b><a class="g-profile" href="http://plus.google.com/117401719159421267114" target="_blank">+IM+</a></b></h2>
<b> </b>This client has been around for a long time and I knew it without having to research. It's available for almost every platform and has a trusted name. I found the interface to be a bit dated, but functional. It supports cloud message history syncing via their own services. Skype is also supported which is nice as Microsoft has been talking about dumping MSNM for some time now. This app costs $5. However, if you want <a href="http://www.cypherpunks.ca/otr/">OTR</a>, that's another $5. I find that a bit steep for something that should be based on GPL code. I'm actually going to investigate that. <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.shapeservices.impluslite">You can try IM+ for free with adds and some features missing</a>.<br />
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<h2>
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.imo.android.imoim">IMO</a> </h2>
I didn't get far though. Even though it's free, or because it is, you have to sign up with them first. They ask for a lot of details and apparently kill your account if it smells like you didn't enter your full and proper details. From what I have seen though they have the cleanest and nicest interface.<br />
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<h2>
<a class="g-profile" href="http://plus.google.com/117887380764853270786" target="_blank">+BeejiveIM</a> </h2>
This client also worked well but I couldn't get past the interface. The talk bubble interface got old very quickly. The full featured <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.beejive.im">Pro version </a><br />
costs $10, which considering it doesn't include OTR like encryption was a bit steep. I didn't find the price justified over the $5 price of IM+. They do have a <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.beejive.im.lite">free version</a> available as well. <br />
<br />
So in the end I stuck with IM+ and paid for their pro version. It
seems to be the best by far in terms of features, usability and value.
Yes, some of the clients are free, but require you to sign over your IM
privacy to some third party. This app, at the time of purchase cost $5
and you can leave the company out of your IM or choose to benefit from their history syncing. <br />
<br />
The one annoying thing I ran into with all the clients has nothing to do
with the actual clients but that some of the other IM protocols, unlike Jabber, do not support multiple
device sign-in. Wish they did as logging in/out all the time is
annoying. Still it's a small price to pay for an actual working IM client that doesn't loose your messages.<br />
<br />
Lastly, I know there are complete alternatives to these like <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.whatsapp">Whatsapp</a>, but this is not what I was after and have no interest in it. Hopefully you will find this mini review of value as I know I'm not the only one that is having issues with Hangouts.<br />
<br />
Update: Since posting this I got some other recommendations which missed my radar as they are not multi-protocol.<br />
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<h2>
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.xabber.android&hl=en">Xabber</a> </h2>
An open source Jabber client which will interface happily with the old Google Talk gateway. Looks clean and full featured and OTR is included. If you're just looking for a Google Talk replacement, this looks like the best I've seen so far, and it's free. Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-80821597043538355162013-07-07T21:45:00.001-04:002013-07-07T21:45:20.369-04:00Do not use Windows 8s "Windows 7 File Recovery"Windows 8 carried forward the disk imaging backup and restore feature from previous versions of Windows. They call this "Windows 7 File Recovery" as it's a feature Microsoft hopes to remove in future versions of Windows. When trying out Windows 8.1 I can confirm that it's gone. This is warning to anyone to stay far far away from this method of backing up your data. In fact, Microsoft leaves you high and dry in terms of proper disaster recovery for your system in Windows 8. Yes, your personal files can be backed up using their File History feature, but that's not the same thing as a full system restore.<br />
<br />
Windows disk image backup is severely broken. It expects your drive configuration to be the same as when you made the backup. If anything is out of place, you will get the following error:<br />
<pre>Windows image restore (Error code 0x80070057; "the parameter is incorrect")</pre>
<a href="http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/d1d5e820-4b3f-4848-8861-8c0736c5fd1a/windows-image-restore-error-code-0x80070057-the-parameter-is-incorrect">What this error means</a>, is that the number, type, size and order of the drives as they were when you made the backup are not the same as they are now.There is no way I could find to see what that was during backup. There is no way to manual write the image file to disk and no way to properly convert the backup VHDX file to anything usable. This means, that if your primary drive dies, and you get a new, different one, you won't be able to simply re-image the drive. What's worse, is that I made this backup less than one week ago, but even having a memory card in a reader can screw things up.<br />
<br />
So my files are safe. The reason I'm restoring is not due to hardware failure but me simply screwing around. I haven't lost anything other than hours of time. I've learned a valuable lesson, do not trust Microsoft with your data, they will find a way to screw it up. Chose a reliable 3rd party tool to do your backups. I'm probably going with <a href="http://clonezilla.org/">Clonezilla</a>. Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-2406381509017417202013-06-26T14:18:00.002-04:002013-06-26T14:25:07.365-04:00Recovery partitions in Windows 8 and BitLocker drive encryptionHaving just upgraded to a Lenovo ThinkPad Helix, I ran into a problem who's answer I could not find online. Lenovo (formerly IBM) Rescue and Recovery is gone. Windows 8 now comes with a slew of backup and restore functionality integrated into the OS. One of these features is a recovery partition with a complete system restore. Gone are the days of DVDs and other archaic media. Now all you need is a USB key (of sufficient size, usually 16GB) and you can create a recovery disk in case things go bad. Well, it turns out that if you enable BitLocker drive encryption, you loose access to the recovery partition. You can still create a restore drive, but this only allows for diagnostics, not full blown system wipe and re-install. So if you find yourself wanting to create a backup image using the stock Window 8 recovery tool, the "Copy the recovery partition from the PC to the recovery drive" option greyed out. You have to fully turn off BitLocker, decrypt your HD and reboot before the option is selectable again. I can understand why this happens, but I can't understand why I wasn't warned about this ahead of encrypting my entire drive.<br />
<br />Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-24002275601088180982012-10-31T20:05:00.003-04:002012-10-31T20:05:30.388-04:00My Microsoft Windows 8 ReviewI've been running Windows 8 on my primary computer for a few days now, and I ran the Preview version on my ThinkPad Tablet for a month or so earlier in the year. I have a lot of mixed feeling about Windows 8. First of all, I want to commend Microsoft for what they are doing here. Creating one unifying interface across all their devices is, I believe, a good idea. It's also an incredibly hard one to pull off.<br />
My First experience with Windows 8 was with the preview running on my ThinkPad X200 Convertible Tablet PC. I was pleasantly surprised with how well it ran. My Thinkpad is nearing 3 years old and I was very impressed with how well Windows 8 ran. In fact, I feel that Windows 8 is faster in most ways over previous versions of Windows. What ended my use of Windows 8 Preview on my tablet was not the OS itself, but lack of support from Lenovo. The X200 line is one generation too old to have Windows 8 support provided by Lenovo, and key drivers are never going to be available for the tablet, leaving Windows 7 as the last viable OS for that tablet, even though it ran perfectly well. What did work was everything else other than hardware specific features. Importantly though, the touch and Wacom pen interfaces worked perfectly. In fact, Windows 8 was the first time I really used my touch interface on a regular basis. Microsoft did a really good job making a touch friendly interface for Windows. The problem with Preview at the time is that a lot of the stock, touch friendly apps, were not finished. Email didn't support iMap as an example. Still, it was a good "preview" of what was to come.<br />
Now, a few months later, we have the full version of Windows 8. Though things have come along since the preview, I can't help but feel that things have not fully baked. Keep in mind, that the things I'm about to complain about, nobody else is doing. This is a key point, not Apple nor Google are trying to make an OS that interoperates with a host of other services as seamlessly as Microsoft is trying to do. That being said, Microsoft has to, as they are very late to the game.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Basic Apps</h2>
Let's start with Email. Email is rather important to a lot of people, and in some cases, the most important thing a computer can do next to web browsing. Keep in mind that this app is necessary for someone using Windows 8 on a touch based computer. The email app lets you easily add Gmail, Hotmail, Facebook and traditional email services. Email works well enough. The latest versions of the app which has only been out for a few days now supports proper threading. All the configuration options you need are there. If you've configured your Google account, you can also choose to use your Google contacts along with email, a huge plus. My biggest, and really only complaint with the email app is that it's Metro only. I'll cover this later. The only real problem though is that for me, an email app without integrated calendaring is useless. Microsoft has you covered with the calendar app, however, this is where the above integration falls short. You can only use your primary calendar with the app.Sadly I have several. Not only that, but I also want to see other peoples calendars that I have subscribed to. To be fair, official word is that this is Google pushing back and not a failure in Microsoft's implementation. In fact, if you subscribe to any of the iCal feeds in your hotmail account online, you'll see all the calendars in your calendar app. However, they will not be editable, nor will you be able to create new events.<br />
The contacts app is another app that tries, but fails to integrate many services. It's biggest problem is contact collapsing. It will show you three of the same person if they have three different ways to get a hold of them. In addition to this, the contact app is also the integrated twitter app, which makes it a bit confusing.<br />
There are other apps like weather and stocks, stuff I don't really care about so will not get into.<br />
Other than Internet Explorer 10 however, the biggest issue with all these apps is that they are Metro only. What this means, that if you are using Windows 8 on your desktop, with a nice big 24" or larger monitor, you have to use these apps in full screen. This is incredibly frustrating as I value my information density. A lot of these apps exist in "Windows Live Mail", a classic desktop app that you can download and install free from Microsoft, but it lacks integration and some of the features you find in the Metro versions, like being able to edit Google calendars as opposed to just viewing.<br />
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<h2>
Desktop vs. Metro</h2>
The Desktop world and the Metro world are separate. Metro apps are not docked in the start bar, nor do Metro apps fire notifications to the start notification bar, and vice versa. This is incredibly frustrating, as you could be working away in a desktop app and miss notifications. If you have multiple monitors, like I do, you can have one showing your Metro start menu and apps, while the other is all Desktop business. This isn't actually a bad idea and works rather well. I could see this working exceptionally well with a Surface Tablet plugged into an external monitor.<br />
By now, I's sure you've heard that the start menu is gone. This is not a deal breaker in the slightest. If you put your mouse into the bottom left corner of the screen and click (as if the start menu was there), you get the Metro home screen, which is in essence your new start menu. Hitting the windows key also brings it up, just like your start menu. In fact, all of the key actions and mouse actions I expect to work from years of using Windows PCs continue to work, the only difference is the visual appearance of it all. That visual appearance though is a bit disconcerting. Windows 8 seems to be pushing me to be a single task and a time kind of person. No more status bars, no more widgets telling me the weather outside, it's all one app at a time. This works great on a phone, works OK on a tablet, but is just kind of annoying on a desktop with a large monitor.<br />
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<h2>
So far</h2>
<div>
It has only been a few days using Windows 8 as my primary OS on my main computer, and so far I don't regret making the upgrade, especially for the low price that Microsoft is pushing the upgrades. Fundamentally, I think the changes to Windows 8 are good, and the ones I don't like there are work arrounds The built in apps will get better over time and will be updates through the Microsoft Store. Most importantly though, Microsoft has managed to do something that generally does not happen with these sorts of upgrades, they made my computer feel much faster. Windows 8 boots considerably more quickly, and just feels snappier and more responsive than any other version of Windows before it. This alone as why I will happily stick with Windows 8.</div>
<br />Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-15716286049498838902012-04-24T09:09:00.000-04:002012-04-24T09:09:14.335-04:00Micorosoft Touch Mouse & RSII've recently switched to using the Microsoft Touch Mouse. It's a Windows 7+ only piece of hardware. The entire top front of the mouse is a multi-touch sensor. It only has one physical button (the whole thing, ala the Apple mice) but based on where you press down it registers either a left or right click. The hardware is amazing, up to Microsoft's usual high standards of build quality. The software however is lacking in many ways. It has huge potential. I'm hopeing that with udpates the experience will get better, but so far Microsoft has failed to deliver. As it is, it's rather frustrating to use for anything but basic mouse actions (at which it excels).
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My primary pointing device is a Logitech Trackman Wheel. I switched to using a thumb based trackball after using a full handed trackball gave me worse RSI than the mouse I was trying to get away from. However, I find switching between the two on a regular basis works well for me. The main source of pain in my arm is the muscles responsible for finger lifting. This is why the thumb based trackball works so well for me. My fingers rest on the buttons and only my thumb is used. The Microsoft Touch mouse has no buttons. So to register the difference between a left and right click, your fingers must be off the mouse so that a touch, not a press, can be registered before you press down to click. This is horrible ergonomics. In fact, everyone who tried this mouse said that right clicking was next to useless. That, and the complete lack of middle mouse button was incredibly frustrating for me. Overall it was a nice design exercise for someone in Microsoft's hardware division. Ultimately though it fails to be a useful pointing device.Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-88045524979999996392011-07-10T13:30:00.003-04:002011-07-11T15:10:59.677-04:00iTunesI've been busy making playlists on my iPod Touch. I don't really use this thing anymore but have a specific need for a music playback device that isn't my phone. I have to ask all the iTunes users, how the hell do you live with this software? It is single handedly the slowest and most cumbersome music management software I have ever used. I agree the the end iOS iTunes interface is nice for playback, but it just doesn't seem worth it.<br />
<br />
It is incredibly slow. Granted, I'm using iTunes on a Windows PC, which means I have a non-native performance penalty already, but I'm using a Core i7 3Ghz Quad Core PC with 12GB of RAM. It's not exactly a slow machine!<br />
<br />
My Music collection is 140GBs. Maybe a bit on the large size? Scrolling through albums requires waiting several seconds to have the screen draw the user interaction. <br />
<br />
I have to manually add music acquired outside of the iTunes music store into iTunes. Most of my music doesn't come from iTunes as it's the most expensive music store online. I'm sorry, but I have a computer to avoid doing tasks that can be easily automated! I guess this isn't an issue if you only buy music via iTunes. Maybe I'm too cheap, but I refuse to pay CD prices for digital media. On a related note, there is no way in iTunes to see where the file that represents that song is.<br />
<br />
I could go on but I have to get back to banging my head against the wall here.<br />
<br />
<b>Update</b>: I can't transfer the two newest playlists I created due to "unknown error". Thanks iTunes.<br />
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<b>Update2</b>: Went back to editing. iTunes up and deleted one of my playlists. POS.<br />
<br />
<b>Update3</b>: I chatted with some Mac users over lunch. Apparently my problem were:<br />
<ol><li>I wasn't using a MAC</li>
<li> I don't allow iTunes to manage my music</li>
<li>I don't buy my music through iTunes</li>
</ol>If I wanted to be locked into the Microsoft ecosystem of the 90s I'd be... oh wait...Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-39187728090640161602011-06-28T11:01:00.000-04:002011-06-28T11:01:07.669-04:00Letter to Rob Ford: city infrastructureHis Worship Rob Ford,<br />
Mayor, City of Toronto,<br />
<br />
I am writing you as a home owner and tax payer of the City of Toronto. I have lived in the Toronto area most of my life. I grew up in Etobicoke and Mississauga and now live in the Bloor and Ossington area. I have travelled and experienced getting around in many cities: Tokyo, Montreal, Warsaw, Prague, New York, San Francisco to name a few. <br />
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Toronto is falling further and further behind in how we move people in and out of the city. The reality, weather the City wishes to admit it or not is that cars, and the infrastructure that serves them is not the answer. As Toronto's population increases, traffic congestion will skyrocket. I work in Liberty Village and traffic congestion is getting out of control here. There are currently 5 new condos under construction, once completed it will be a giant slow moving parking lot. The solution is not to get rid of bike lanes, or street cars as there aren't any to get rid of. The solution is to get people to stop driving and into transit and alternative modes of transportation like cycling. <br />
<br />
This is not a war on the car, this is reality. The removal of any cycling lanes in the city, sends the message that it's ok to get into your car and drive wherever you need to go. This will only increase traffic congestion. It is cars that cause traffic, not transit or bicycles. <br />
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Thank you for listening,<br />
Paul Tichonczuk<br />
<br />
I got a canned response very quickly:<br />
<br />
Thank you for your email regarding the bike lanes on Jarvis Street. I appreciate hearing from you. <br />
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Toronto's economy loses billions of dollars every year from gridlock and traffic congestion. We need to make the situation better - not worse. The Jarvis Street bike lanes experiment has been a failure. Ninety-four percent of commuters now face longer commutes on Jarvis Street. Over 15,000 commuters each day are suffering from longer travel times, for the sake of 600 additional cyclists.<br />
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The City should remove the bike lanes as soon as possible and improve travel times for thousands of daily commuters. City staff have been directed to develop a low-cost plan to do so. Bike lanes were never intended to be installed on Jarvis Street. The original Environmental Assessment recommended against installing bike lanes - but City Council amended the report to approve bike lanes anyway.<br />
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As promised during the mayoral election, I am dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city.<br />
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Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts. Please feel free to contact my office again at any time.<br />
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Yours truly,<br />
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Mayor Rob Ford <br />
City of TorontoPaul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-45663034723696066412011-03-24T20:00:00.001-04:002011-07-07T15:39:54.209-04:00Google Nexus One long term thoughtsI've had the Google Nexus One for some time now. The phone is now well over a year old and I still believe it's one of the best phones on the market. I'm currently on the latest (phone) release of Android, 2.3.3. This is as much a post about the phone as it is about Gingerbread, the latest Android.<br />
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When this phone came out, one of Google's main reasons for it was to push the envelope for Android phone design and quality. I believe they succeeded. <br />
<ul><li>High quality build and feel</li>
<li>Fast 1Ghz Processor with Graphics Acceleration</li>
<li>High Resolution Multi Touch Capacitive Touch Screen</li>
<li>Noise cancelling microphone</li>
<li>Dedicated charging dock with zero effort docking</li>
</ul>These were some of the features that made this phone stand out from the rest of the "not quite good enough" Android phones being released. The dedicated charging dock, with the accompanying phone pouch is a small but important one. First of all, the $5 pouch that came with the phone, in my opinion is better then the most expensive "case" I've seen. It does a better job of protecting the phone that most expensive cases, and it cleans the screen every time you take it out and put it in. The pouch is also a requirement if you sue the dock, as you can't have the phone in the case. The dock doesn't use the standard USB jack like the cheap ones do. It has three metal contacts and communicated over Bluetooth. When you dock it, the phone goes into Dock mode, a very nice and unique feature.<br />
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Now with the release of the Nexus S, a phone manufactured by Samsung and not HTC, things have changed.<br />
<ul><li>No expandable memory, 16GB built in.</li>
<li>Plasticy build, though very light</li>
<li>Only 3G while all other phones released during this time where at least 3G+ if not 4G</li>
<li>Added Gyroscope and NFC as the only two really new features</li>
<li>Front facing camera for video chat</li>
</ul>The only real reason to upgrade is the screen. Though the Nexus One had a an AMOLED Multi Touch screen, the Multi Touch was barely that. The Nexus S has a proper multi touch screen and Samsung's proprietary Super AMOLED screen which I will argue is one of the best on the market for any smart phone out right now.<br />
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The lack of expandable memory is a really head scratcher. I can't really see any reason for this other their maybe to have more lock down on the phone. Now with fast, 32GB MicroSD cards hitting the market, this seems really silly.<br />
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You lose the nice dock and noise cancelling mic as well. <br />
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So as I have recommended the Nexus S to many family members and friends with great success, I sit here happy with my Nexus One with very little urge to upgrade.<br />
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<h2>Android 2.3 Gingerbread</h2>Gingerbread brings some very much needed improvements to Android. None of these are "features" as such, but under the hood improvements which were much needed and some that are just cool.<br />
<ul><li>Graphics accelerated UI</li>
<li>Better application management, especially for phones with expandable storage<br />
</li>
<li>More consistent UI in both applications and the main OS</li>
<li><br />
<li>Darker UI to save battery life on OLED based screens</li><br />
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<li>The most awesome closing animation, ever :)</li><br />
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</ul><p>There is more, but those are the ones you notice. The graphically accelerated UI is the biggest. If you've ever used an IOS device or the new Windows 7 phones, you know how the user interface just flows very smoothly under your fingers. Android just never felt that smooth and responsive, until now. It's subtle, but makes for a much more pleasing user experience. </p><h2>The bad</h2>With 2.3, I was a bit disappointed with the amount of bugs that were introduced, and with how some of the above features didn't go far enough. The Nexus One has a dedicated car dock, which when inserted goes into car mode. I don't have the dock but I can manually put the phone into car mode. This has car dedicated features and removes distractions. When in the navigation app in car mode, the phone looses GPS at first launch. You have to back out and re-launch. Another minor annoyance is the mislabeled buttons in the USB mass storage mode. <p>The biggest disappointment with 2.3 was the lack of UI improvements. Yes, the hardware acceleration was very important and welcome, it should have been there from the start. That and though an effort was made for UI consistency, it's not nearly as polished as it's competitors. Things like the improved application management, though again, welcome, is now more cluttered and confusing than it should be. Most importantly, the Nexus One specifically, only came with 512MB of internal storage. This shouldn't be a problem as I have a 16GB microSD card in the phone. Sadly, due to the way Android Applications work, not all downloaded apps can be stored on the microSD card, leaving very little space. A lot of modern Android phones come with 2-4GB of internal storage, combined with the expandable storage, this is more than enough.</p><h2>Sticking Around</h2>Overall though, I've been very happy with the Nexus One. So happy that I have no desire to upgrade. Google really did come out with one of the best phones at the time, and it's aged very well compared to it's competitors.Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-9466489674930236582011-03-16T11:25:00.000-04:002011-03-16T11:25:56.628-04:00The UBB Deception<iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6peRQV5hFEQ?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-62475415678754291672011-02-18T17:21:00.000-05:002011-02-18T17:21:56.390-05:00Usage Based Billing, the big ISPs push for Wireless like profits.I've had several discussions recently about wireless carrier pricing. The more I thought about mobile pricing strategy, the more I realizes what UBB was really about.<br />
<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/rogers-profit-improves-but-not-its-outlook/article1909288/">Rogers </a>and <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/bell-profit-surges-on-wireless-investment/article1901728/">Bell </a>are both making huge amounts of money off of their wireless cell phone businesses. In fact, <a href="http://www2.parl.gc.ca/content/lop/researchpublications/prb0826-e.htm">Canadian wireless carriers have some of the highest profits in the world</a>. Why is this? Partially because of lack of competition. Yes, there are three national carriers, Rogers, Bell and Telus. But Bell and Telus are joined at the hip (they share their network), leaving just Bellus against Rogers. Things are changing with the new entrants, but the core of their success is based on the business model that is prevalent in a lot of North American carriers.<br />
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<h2>Scarred into paying more</h2>All the major North American carriers have a pricing model which is designed to discourage pay for what you use pricing. They all have packages with allotments of minutes and/or bytes of usage. If you go over what your package contains, you are charged obscene amounts in overage charges. These charges are designed to force you into a package which you may not ever come close to using, but will gladly have so you don't get that wonderful two, three or more times your regular bill overage charge. <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-20030620-266.html">A lot of Americans overpay for cell phone usage as a result.</a><br />
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<h2>Changing the rules for Internet Access</h2>So these large carriers in Canada are making money hand over fist in the wireless space. Now they want to bring those profits into their Internet business. So what better way than to put up a smoke screen claiming that bandwidth is getting more precious, just as it's getting cheaper elsewhere in the world? What's worse, is that wireless and land line infrastructure are very different. Wireless frequency allocation is actually a controlled, some might argue artificially scarce resource. Not so with land lines. The only thing scarce about them is that there are a handful of companies that own the last mile infrastructure, and they feel it's their's to overly restrict.<br />
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Bell's UBB pricing policy, which was being forced onto independent ISPs who lease the last mile access, had ridiculously low usage allotment, with the option to buy "usage insurance". If you think you are going to go over, buy these packages of extra usage and we won't charge you our crazy high overage rates. So instead of actually being billed for your usage, where if you used less, you'd save money and if you used more, it would cost you more, based on a reasonable markup, we have a situation that mirrors the wireless industry. High overage fees with higher usage packs. Soon we'll all be overpaying for our Internet access. Of course, it's actually worse for a lot of users, as no packs were offered to cover what some people used.Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12321277.post-79128791339051140592011-02-17T09:23:00.000-05:002011-02-17T09:23:30.511-05:00Rick Mercer get's UBB right in this funny video<iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/a5wWQqP73Ek?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><div><br /></div><div>This video pretty much shows how ridiculous the usage based billing situation is getting. Our tubes are too clogged. We're all hogs that need to be punished. The CRTC and Bell Canada both need a good kick.</div>Paul T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00738774334132650343noreply@blogger.com0