Phones, Tablets, and Even Windows 8

Last year I purchased two Kindle Fires for the family to use. The UI could be just a little bit/slow twitchy at times, but never so much to make you put the device down. Looking at the usage over a year it was mostly games mostly played by kids followed by movies from Amazon Prime. […]

Kindle Fire Parental Controls

I blogged a while back about not having the ability to easily disable purchasing on the Kindle. Until recently we managed ok, but then my youngest child started clicking on the ‘not-free’ games to the tune of about $100 in a day. I can live with the occasional $1.99 purchase, but those $19.99 games add […]

Kindle Fire Update

We’ve had two of them since right after the launch and overall I’m pleased. They get used quite a bit by everyone, and they are useful at home. For the kids it’s mostly the games, Amazon offers a good selection of free games and everyday features a ‘not free’ app as free, and those are […]

First Thoughts on the Kindle Fire

My perception of the tablet market has been that the iPad is king, but at a kingly price. If I was going to use it as a laptop replacement I’d consider spending the $500 or so, but short of that I’ve watching to see what would come along that would be cheaper, if perhaps not […]

PASS Update #51-Summit Site Selection

In November/December HQ requested that the Board to send in suggestions for possible sites for the 2013 PASS Summit. I sent in a few, and at the recent Board meeting we then reviewed the preliminary research by HQ to narrow it to a list of serious candidate cities. I was so excited at the start […]

PASS Summit 2010-Thursday

Quick recap of yesterday afternoon: blur! I know I did stuff, but the pace is brisk and I’m just keeping critical notes for follow through. Hard to convey how much fun and tiring it is to continuously interact with different people over the course of a 16 hour day. From breakfast to midnight a lot […]

PASS Summit 2010- Wednesday

Started the day with a work call and some email, then down to Top Pot with Ron Dameron and Aaron Nelson for coffee. Back to the hotel for my bag and SQLSaturday shirt, and then to the Convention Center to set up at the bloggers table for the keynote. Bill Graziano doing the keynote, smooth […]

PASS Summit 2010-Tuesday Part 2

I’m writing this Wednesday morning, and it’s hard to describe the feeling of speed that comes with being here this week. After the keynote yesterday I had a short break, then it time to host the MVP Birds of a Feather table. I had about 10 people join me for lunch to talk about statistics, […]

PASS Summit 2010-Monday

I’m writing this on Tuesday morning, Monday was a blur. I awoke at 4 am, finally decided that sleep wasn’t going to return so went for a brisk 5 am walk, brisk in both pace and temperature. To be fair the weather so far has been pretty moderate. Back to the hotel and get dressed, […]

PASS Summit 2010–Sunday

My day started at 5:15 to get moving for the airport. Arrived right at 2 hours early to find that there was no curbside or self service check-in for Alaska Air. By the time I waited in line to check a bag and then waited in line again for security I made it to the […]