Double Click

While playing Fleck one day I thought, "These actions would be quicker and easier if I had a double-click button on my mouse."  Until now I've been using the same Logitech Marble Mouse with two buttons for 5 or more years.  I discover the current version contains four buttons.  Score!  I use my Logitech gift card (from the delayed release of the Logitech Revue with Google TV) and have an amazing mouse that I don't know how I lived without.

How did I survive this long with a two-button mouse?  On top of the obvious benefits of a multi-button mouse, I am a gamer and therefore accustomed to multiple buttons.  I use keyboard shortcuts all the time.  Seems to make logical sense to have a multi-button mouse.  Opening an e-mail is now one button.  Opening a file is now one button.  Now I need to find a purpose for the fourth button.  For home I purchased an even crazier version of the Marble Mouse.  It has a scroll wheel and seven buttons.  So many choices!

What actions do you assign to your 3+ mouse buttons?

Interactive Game on Google for NCAA Tournament

I don't know why, but this game is addictive.  Lots of skill involved with a touch of luck.  A bit like Angry Birds, I guess.  Go here, then click on the basketball hoop; my top score thus far is 130.

Edit: My highest score is 280!

Google 404

I've never encountered a Google 404 until today. It's pretty cute. This page loaded while attempting to hit Google Latitude because I enabled Chrome Instant in the Omnibox.  I was typing google.com/latitude and had reached "google.com/l" when this page appeared.

Google: Doing Good

One of Google's philosophies is "Do good."  Below you see Google's page: it posts the Tsunami Alert.

I think despite how good or evil a corporation may be, we must always remember that there are people behind them.  And in this case, Google is doing good amidst the tragedy of the Sendai Earthquake.

Edit to add: Google now links to a the 2011 Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami Crisis Response page.

(Notification) New Location: blog.alforque.com

FYI: My Blog is now located at http://blog.alforque.com/.  Google should redirect everything, but feel free to update your bookmarks!  ...all 2 or 3 of you that follow me.

Facebook as a Messaging Platform?

I tried to send a message to a friend on Facebook.  I hit the "Send" button and receive the message below from Facebook, "That message could not be found."  After spending some time to craft my message (a recommendation for a friend), you can understand my frustration that the message was now gone.  No auto save.  "Browser back" did not retrieve the typed message, only an empty message box.  Very disappointing.

Facebook: Suggest Photos of Me to Friends

Facial recognition on Facebook is now live.  The default setting is "Enabled."  A month ago I noticed the option for automatic facial recognition was coming soon.  That time is now!

If you are like me and have customized settings enabled on Facebook, you can easily manage this feature.  To manage these settings follow the steps below.

1. Visit Privacy Settings on Facebook: Account > Privacy Settings.
2. Assuming you use Custom settings, select Customize settings.
3. Scroll to the section Things others share.
4. Find Suggest photos of me to friends (When photos look like me, suggest my name) and hit the Edit Settings button.  You will be given the option to enable/disable like the screenshot below.  

Minimalist for GMail - Browser Access

I received the notification below that Minimalist for GMail now requires access to Your data on all websites, Your bookmarks and Your browsing history.  Apparently the programmer, Matt Constantine, is attempting to make this a portable plugin.  Hopefully, he creates a separate version for portability, as the additional access is freaking people out (me included).

Edit: The author created a "classic" version. :)

Why Does Apple Hate Me?

No manufacturer has given me as much frustration as Apple.  They could have made it easy and been backwards compatible.  Or they could have at outright told me when things will not work.  Instead, I am given false hope.

iPad not working on OS X 10.5?  Okay, fine. That's on the iPad specs.  But isn't it odd that it will work on WinXP?  I mean, what is it about 10.5 that you don't like?  Is it that I haven't paid you to upgrade my OS?

iPhone 3G jacked with iOS upgrade.  I don't even know how long it took to fix this because I switched to Android.  Is it even fixed yet?  I mean, completely fixed?

iPad not working on my WiFi.  This just baffles the mind.  And then you go about fixing this 6-8 months later without any notification.  I just tried it on a whim, and now it works!

Bluetooth keyboard not working on OS X 10.6.6.  You suckered me into buying OS X 10.6.6 (thanks for the discount, Amazon!); and now my $70 Bluetooth keyboard will not work.  I've been trying for two hours to get it to connect because some thread on the Apple forums tells me to be patient.  No dice.

Do you just not like compatibility?  Do you hate it when we don't pony up the cash to buy the newest hardware or software?  What am I supposed to do with all this "old" stuff now?  My keyboard is barely 3 years old!  The iPhone wasn't even 2 years old.  And the iPad had these issues straight out of the box.

I am glad that Android surpassed iPhone (and RIM) as the top smart phone OS in the US (Nielsen: Who is Winning the U.S. Smartphone Battle?).  You had a good thing going with iTunes.  You kept us on a string with the iPhone.  But now I just don't see the utility in Apple.  And really, that's what products are supposed to be about: utility.