Quirky Gnome Spotting!

The Quirky Gnome

Gnome Photos Please!

One of our correspondents, herself in an as yet undisclosed location captured this rare photo of The Quirky Gnome, generally regarded as the last great hope of her generation, has not been heard from since February of last year.

Gnome More

The up and coming writer's ground breaking blog, The Quirky Gnome, was met with instant critical acclaim when it launched in July of 2012, but has been silent for over eighteen months, fueling speculation of an upcoming novel and the inevitable Pulitzer Prize.

Other Cool Mobile Computing Gadgets for Mobile Apple Folk

Here are a couple of other things I have been meaning to blog about.

MagSafe 2 and MagSafe 2 Cozy

These are fantastic and allow you to use the power supply for your pre-2013 non-Retina MacBook Pro or MacBook Air on any of the new models and instantly switch back. The trick is the Cozy that keeps the tiny, VERY EASY TO LOSE MagSafe 2 Adapter close at hand. 

MagCozy 2-Pack

MagSafe to MagSafe 2 Converter

Magsafe 2 Converter

MagSafe Cozy

Managing Cable Creep

I really like the 9 pin lightning cables employed by the more recent iOS devices but I still have plenty of Micro USB devices that need to be charged. Also, seem to have DOZENS of Micro USB Devices, so I like to attach these to them: 

Micro USB to 8 Pin Lightning Converter

Lightning to USB Cozy

Micro USB to 8 Pin Lightning Converter

Micro USB to 8 Pin Lightning Converter Lightning to USB Cozy

And along those lines, how can you resist having one of these in your kit: Retractable Micro USB and Lightning cable

Retractable Micro USB and Lightning cable

USB Charging Hub

I have one of these in my kit for keeping all my devices, battery packs and Bluetooth devices charged: Anker® 40W 5-Port Family-Sized Desktop USB Charger with PowerIQ.  

Anker® 40W 5-Port Family-Sized Desktop USB Charger with PowerIQ

The PowerIQ thing is very cool, it senses what type of device you connect to it, and sends just the right amount of juice to it. I like to use this with it: 2 Prong Right Angle Plug Adapter: It makes it fit nicely in my kit with no extra cable.

USB Battery Pack

And along those lines this thing is AWESOME. 

It takes a good while to fully charge but it just doesn't quit. I can repeatedly charge my iPhone 5 with it more times than I have ever needed to: Anker 2nd Gen Astro3 12000mAh Portable Power

Travel Power Strips

The gentleman next to me on the train right now really likes the travel power strip in my kit: http://amzn.com/B0011U94GY

That one is from Targus, but here is another good choice from Monster that folds nice and flat: http://amzn.com/B000F9YN2M

Lastly this is kind of expensive from Victorinox but super nice, it comes in a posh travel case.  Very nice: http://amzn.com/B003954FX6

Check out this bizarre valveless axial combustion engine

Check out this YouTube Video showing the basic concept.  Do yourself a favor though and only watch the first couple of minutes of the video. God awful music. Sorry to have to send you there.

Like a Spinning Coin

The cylinders actually spin around in a circle sharing spark plugs, it looks a little like how a coin spins on a table. Amazing. The design causes much less vibration, requires many fewer parts, and produces as much power as engines far greater in weight.

Source: Gizmag

May the 32nd

Thank you Adobe!  I was sooooo not ready for June

Thanks Adobe, I was soooo not ready for June, and May was just the best month EVER, so thanks, I'm gonna get caught up on EVERYTHING today.

Fix Your Grammar

This is fun.  I need to get this to my sister, a public high school English teacher.

114 mbps Download Speed

Thank you Time Warner

114.85 mbps Download Speed

This is amazing, now if you can just figure out how to get my upload times above 6 mbps. For now, thank you. This is seriously cool.

8th Annual Stars and Strikes for APCH is March 19

Two Words People: Dealer. Dolls.  

Here's what To Do:

• Click the Link
• Buy the tix
• Support the Kids
• Try to keep the bowling ball in your own lane
• Play at my table in Poker I am easy to beat and no I am not just saying that ask anyone there.  It's a very well deserved reputation.  



Twenty Five Years.  That's how long we've know each other.  

• Tell everyone you know

Seriously people I've gone to every single one of the previous seven; it gets better and better every year, never more so than the year I stopped trying to help produce it.  So now it's twice the fun.

Okay.  Do NOT play at her table.  Unless it's a school
night for you and you need to be in bed by 9.  

Live Video from Mavericks Invitational

Check out Live Video from Mavericks Invitational.  See also GoPro Sponsored Recap of 2013 Mavericks Invitational simply amazing coverage, amazing footage, and amazing effort by all participants.  Be safe out there.

David Blatter Last Night at Magic Castle

@davidblatteryay killed it tonight with impromptu show down in the Museum at @magiccastle tonight for my guests and me. Thanks David!
— Michael Bateman (@michaelbbateman) January 22, 2014

The Quirky Gnome: Quirky Gnome is Back!

The Quirky Gnome: Quirky Gnome is Back!: Hello, Internet. I have FINALLY returned from my incredibly ridiculously long break. I've had a lot of time to think about the fate of t...

The Problem with Windows 8

HP is Brining Windows 7 Back, Macobserver Reports

"Which brings us to the crux of the problem, Microsoft. The company designed Windows 8 not to be a great desktop operating system, and not even to be a great touch-based operating system. Instead it was designed to get Microsoft's customers to do what Microsoft wanted them to do, which is to use the same operating system on the desktop and their tablets.  The result is an operating system that is good on neither the desktop or a touch tablet, and customers are responding by buying other things, namely iOS and Android devices."

Yes, Windows 8 suffers from what I call the futon syndrome.  You're twenty years old and you think to yourself, it's a couch AND a bed, what a deal, and it takes you a few years to realize it's such a lousy bed and such a lousy couch it's really neither.  Windows 8 is like that.  For all the software they have made over the years, they lack any real experience building software in a competitive environment where users have choices.  It's as if they said, 'people won't like this at first, but they'll get the hang of it.'  Sure, but they also might go buy something else.  

248 YouTube Views Since Launch - Thanks All

Hey thanks FMDiSC and LAPUG for watching my videos and for anyone who just googled "Camera sees through clothing" and watched my YouTube videos from last week's CES.  Fun stuff.

Some Cool Stuff I found at CES 2014

I am learning as I go with this blogging tool, let's see how this goes, here's the playlist containing the videos:



I've tried to keep these concise, my intended audience are people looking for productivity tools and have stuff to do! :)

Here's each individually, perhaps that might help to find items of interest:

Greetings from the NoHo Arts District, I'm Michael Bateman

From the entertainment capital of North Hollywood, California, this is Michael Bateman and here is my blog.

-Michael
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