Marc's Musings Reality from Marc's point of view!

My iPad2 (32 GB, WiFi & 3G) is configured to use “iTunes Wi-Fi Sync”.  For the past week, when I get up in the morning I can see on my PC a dialog with the message ‘The iPad “youripadnamehere” cannot be synced. The required disk cannot be found.“. Checking the iPad under Settings > General > iTunes Wi-Fi Sync  confirms that it hasn’t synced in over a week. Initiating a manual sync (pushing the “Sync now” button) yields the “cannot be synced” dialog on my PC.

A quick Google search indicates that this is a fairly common problem for iPhones and the solution seems largely to require you to change USB ports. But I could not see a solution for iPads.

It turns out that the issue arises because I do not recycle my PC regularly – under Windows 7 it simply does not need it anymore and it seems that iTunes becomes somewhat unstable after a few days of running continuously.

The solution? Simply stop iTunes and restart it. Clicking the “Sync Now” button on the iPad now works just fine.

Long term, to ensure that the iPad syncs regularly is presumably to recycle the iTunes app periodically. I’ll likely wait to see the error message again and use that as my cue to perform the recycle.

Posted under Tech Stuff

*Updated 2011.11.19*

I have posted a resolution to this issue here.

*End Update*

*Updated 2011.09.05*

I accepted the updater’s offer to upgrade iTunes to 10.4.1.10 and the problem recurred. This time I followed the protocol from this KB article from Apple ( http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1923 ) and quelled the issue again. Next time I’ll do more experimentation with stopping and restarting the Apple Mobile Device Service (AMDS) first to see if the issue is limited to the service itself…

*End Update*

*Updated 2011.08.22*

I ended up having to uninstall iTunes (and “Apple Mobile Device Support” and “Apple Application Support” and “Apple Software Update”) and reinstall iTunes (the rest came along for the reinstall ride) and the CPU issue went away.

*End Update*

I have Apple’s iTunes 10.4.0.80 for Windows installed on my Windows 7 – 64 bit machine.

I’m not exactly sure when it started but I’m pretty sure it’s with either the most recent iTunes update or the most recent Windows update (monthly patches).

My machine has variable speed fans to cool it based on CPU load so I’m sensitive to when the machine is doing something even modestly taxing. Lately the fans have been kicking up a notch regularly while I’m just reading email or some similarly low impact activity. So I see in my Process Explorer that the AppleMovileDeviceService.exe process is consistently chewing up almost exactly 12.5% of my CPU cycles all the time.

Has anybody else encountered this? Do you know of a fix?

Posted under Tech Stuff

I purchased this KVM after my TRENDnet TK-207K bit the dust after only 6 months of use.

I have to admit that I’m now happy for being forced to change. The TRENDnet was only about $23 from Amazon where this Syba weighed in at closer to $60. This is still a very good price for a fully functioning KVM.

The reasons I am happy are twofold:

The Syba uses native DVI ports so I no longer have to use any converters or VGA cables. I really can’t tell if this has improved the quality of my video performance but I am finding that I have no more issues with my screen resolution being reset on me when I remove and replace my laptop (something that happens frequently as I take it to and from work).

Swapping ports is nearly instant with the Syba where there used to be a lag of several seconds plus a little acknowledgment sound from each computer as the change was made before. I silently swap between machines now with just a click of the Syba remote button or a double-click of my mouse middle button (scroll wheel). Quick, easy, reliable and the settings are remembered.

So far count me very happy with this new Syba KVM.

FYI my setup is:

1 desktop machine (Alienware) with two monitors (Syncmaster 226BW and SyncMaster 2343BWX). I am sharing the Syncmaster 226BW whose native resolution is 1680 x 1050.

1 Dell Lattitude E6410 with a port replicator

Basic 3 Button Alienware optical mouse (USB)

Basic standard Dell keyboard (also USB)

I don’t like using laptop keyboards or the eraserhead or trackpad pointer devices. I’m a mouse and full-sized keyboard kind of guy.

The laptop travels with me to and from work so I can have a consistent platform as my primary workstation.

Posted under Opinions, Tech Stuff, Utils / Tools

I’ve had this switch for almost exactly 6 months now and it’s just failed utterly on me this morning.

My setup is:

1 desktop machine (Alienware) with two monitors (Syncmaster 226BW and SyncMaster 2343BWX)
1 Dell Lattitude E6410 with a port replicator

I don’t like using laptop keyboards or the eraserhead or trackpad pointer devices. I’m a mouse and full-sized keyboard kind of guy.

The laptop travels with me to and from work so I can have a consistent platform as my primary workstation.

I used the TK-207K to share the 226BW between the laptop and the Alienware along with a proper keyboard and mouse. This has always presented a minor issue where, each time I replace the laptop into the port replicator and switch to it, the resolution on the monitor is ALWAYS incorrect with no correct option to select from. I always need to log onto the laptop and then PULL THE VIDEO PLUG out of the back of the port replicator and then plug it back in. After this the computer recognizes that the resolution is incorrect and allows me to select the right resolution. The monitor that I use at work has exactly the same native resolution so there is something a little odd here. Once this is done I’m good until the next time I remove the laptop.

This morning I was working on my Alienware machine when the keyboard and mouse just stopped responding and the computer threw up a message indicating that it did not recognize a USB device.

Several restarts later and after swapping out keyboards I come to the conclusion that the TK-207K is no longer of this world…

I am not going to try to get a replacement as others have done. I’m sure TRENDnet will probably honor their warranty but frankly I prefer my stuff to work the first time and work right.

I’m going to look for another solution. Until then I will have an extra monitor on my desktop and two keyboards and two mice.

Posted under Opinions, Tech Stuff, Utils / Tools

I use Evernote to store a boatload of information. Having it available EVERYWHERE in a searchable and organised fashion is very useful to me.

Recently I noticed that PDFs that I had created (of useful pamphlets or contracts) were not text searchable. I presume this is some side effect of my changing from a free to a premium subscriber and some switch was not properly set for my account. I love the product, but want to be sure that others are aware of this issue in case they are depending upon this functionality as well.

Following is my email exchange with the Evernote folks.

The initial communication from me:

I’ve been noticing this for a couple of months now but I have just now found the time to contact you.

I am finding that none of the PDFs that I create (usually from scanning printed documents) are being made text searchable.

The little searchable icon at the right hand side of the “Note Info” panel is always grey and I do not ever see the “Save as Searchable PDF” option when clicking on these PDFs.

The only ones that are searchable are ones that were created that way originally and that I have just imported wholesale. Any that I create remain unsearchable.

Please let me know if there are some settings that I should be exploring or if there is perhaps a glitch with my account (I was originally a free account holder but have been a premium subscriber for several months now).

Regards,

Marc

And the email chain that ensued:

Hi Sam,

 

It appears that my new test PDF note was made text searchable so it looks like I’m good on that front.

 

Since NONE of my PDF notes is showing the magnifying glass icon properly, it sounds like you are telling me that Evernote’s PDF indexer does not properly set this indicator. Either that or all of my PDFs are not completely indexed.

 

I believe there is a bug here.

 

Thanks for whatever was done to activate my PDF indexing as it appears to be working now, I can probably live without the indicator since it is not reliable. I’ll keep an eye on the release notes to see if that issue is addressed in future updates.

 

You can close this ticket.

 

Marc

 

On Tue, Jun 14, 2011 at 8:10 AM, Evernote Support <en-support@evernote.com> wrote:

Hi Marc,

 

If the magnifying glass is greyed out, there could be a portion of the PDF that was not able to be indexed.  Please let us know if you have any questions.

 

Thanks,

Sam

Evernote Support

 

—–Original Message—–

From: “Marc Bourassa” <Marc@Marc-Bourassa.com>

Reply-To: “Marc Bourassa” <Marc@Marc-Bourassa.com>

Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2011 07:48:15 -0400

To: “Evernote Support” <en-support@evernote.com>

Subject: Re: (Case 256009) [Premium] PDFs are not being made text searchable

 

>Hi,

>

>I can see that you did something to update my PDFs, my local backup

>indicates that pretty much every one of my personally created PDFs has been

>updated.

>

>Also, I can now see “Save as Searchable PDF…” as an option for these.

>

>The only thing outstanding is the little search icon (magnifying glass over

>a document at the right side in the “Note Info” section) is still greyed out

>for the PDFs. Am I correct in understanding that, once a note has been made

>Text searchable, this icon should be colored? It is correctly colored for my

>OCRed JPG notes.

>

>As a test, I’ve created a new note (Test pdf text searching) in the Evernote

>folder and have synced it as of this email. I’ll check tonight to see if it

>has become searchable to ensure that whatever fix is in place is ongoing as

>well as retroactive.

>

>Thanks,

>

>Marc

>

>On Mon, Jun 13, 2011 at 11:50 AM, Evernote Support

><en-support@evernote.com>wrote:

>

>> Hi Marc,

>>

>> When I am searching for these terms, I am able to find the note that

>> contains the term.  Are you not able to find the note?  Please let us know.

>>

>> Thanks,

>> Evernote Support

>>

>>

 

 

 

–

 

Marc

Posted under Tech Stuff

Last night Michelle and I received the replacement Blu-ray disc for “Salt”. We had returned the first one to Netflix as being unplayable. This second one suffered from exactly the same issue: The disc would churn for the infinite amount of time a Blu-ray disc likes to churn, it put up it’s little custom progress bar (because heaven forbid there would be some consistency in the interface between Blu-ray offerings) which then stops at about the 90% mark.

Of course there is the usual “take the disc out and inspect and/or clean it”, “Turn off the Blu-ray player and restart it”, “Check for updates to the Blu-ray player” and all that hokum.

So I’ve sent this replacement disc back too.

I’ve also gone onto Netflix and adjusted my profile. I’m no longer paying the $4/month premium for Blu-ray access. The money isn’t a big deal, but it seems to me I’m paying extra for everything I dislike about new discs that I have absolutely no use for:

• Super fancy custom menus
  • Just give me a “PLAY” option and don’t hide it or delay it. Better yet, just start the damn movie.
• Pop-up windows  that block parts of the movie with folks yammering about what a good time they had making the film.
  • For some reason this always defaults to on. I need to figure out (it’s different every time) how to “Enable” the feature, then “Disable” it to get it off my screen.
• Extra Features
  • I don’t know, am I just from another generation? If I wanted extra features maybe I could just order another disc with only those on it?
  • Deleted scenes, in my experience, were deleted because they were awful. If they weren’t awful they’ll be in the director’s cut in a few months and I can watch them in context then
  • I really don’t care about the behind the scenes action. I like the *movie* precisely because it is fiction. Except for folks who are intent on becoming videographers, I don’t really see the thrill of the behind the scenes action.
• Stops me from viewing as I see fit.
  • Don’t make me watch those stupid warnings, and those cowardly statements about how, even though you’re publishing this Blu-ray and making all kinds of money from it, you take no responsibility for its content.
  • Don’t make it hard for me to skip the “coming attractions” I’ve either seen them before or I don’t care
• Do not prevent me from setting bookmarks – how on earth will this jeopardize the profits that are to be made from the sale or rental of this disc?
• (I think this is just my Blu-ray player rather than Blu-ray per se) Why does it ONLY remember the position of ONLY the Blu-ray disc that’s IN THE MACHINE WHEN I TURN IT OFF? I’ve got scads of storage in that player, surely it can remember the last 50 items I put in there so that it can offer to pick up from where I left off?

FYI I have a Samsung BD-P2500 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player if you have ideas about why “Salt” doesn’t play.

I’m now waiting for the non Blu-ray version of “Salt” to arrive so I can watch it.

Posted under Opinions, Tech Stuff

Has anybody out there noticed that the upload speed results achieved using testmy.net are significantly depressed using Google Chrome?

My upload speed is supposed to be 3 Mbits/second. Using Comcast’s own speed test and Speakeasy’ I typically get results in this range.

But I like testmy.net’s approach and have always had great confidence in their results. But since using Google Chrome my results have been less than stellar. This has been since at least the beginning of December 2010. I’ve been using Chrome for a lot longer than that but I don’t know that I was paying particular attention to the upload speeds until recently.
I was beginning to believe Comcast was actually gaming the other two speed test results and hadn’t figured out how to mess with testmy.net’s. That does speak volumes about my opinion of Comcast. But I was inspired a few minutes ago to crack open Firefox and try the test with them and the results are consistent with those other test sites.

So it would seem that either Google Chrome or my settings for Google Chrome is at issue.

Testmy.net results with Firefox:

Testmy.net results with Chrome:

Posted under Chrome, Firefox, Tech Stuff