Got anything new to report? - Min's MinIT Update. Friday 21st June 2013

Well hello hello! Or should that be 'not well cough cough'...Been off sick with some flu, cold, chesty fever thing but seeing as it's blog day and that can only be written on the tube...well here I am!

It feels like that movie 'I am legend' on the pic line this morning. There are only 5 people in the whole carriage! 

As I may pass out at any moment, lets get on with the show...

Tube advert: Best Thing Ever. That's what students are saying about the Open University. Nice! It says that their materials are so good that other universities use them too, Wowza! Google has a fight on it's hands...

Gadget: well, gonna give the gadget a rest this week. Did think about doing a piece on the 90" sharp LCD TV I'm thinking of getting and relegating our 65" to the bedroom, but will wait to do that review for a future edition (and obviously if I'm still alive till then).

So in it's place, a new section:

TV programme of the week: So who else watch Airport Live on the BBC this week? No? Just me and my dad then. Watched all 4 episodes and learnt loads...things like 76,000 people work at Heathrow (well done all my Sikh friends in Hounslow), It's the world's busiest hub at 98% capacity with 1,400 take offs and landings each day and one of those fancy fire engines costs £700,000. Yeah ok, it was a bit dull, even though you would have thought they could make a machine in this day and age to cut the 27,000 holes for the stencil thing for the BA logo on the back of the plane, rather than pulling them out individual by hand. Perhaps that's why they have to employ 76,000 people at the airport...anyways, well done Heathrow, and see you on Sunday for my flight to Madrid. Min TV marks out of 10...7.47

App: Citymapper. A must have app for my fellow commuters and yes my friends it is free. It's the app which gives you all the travel info you need in Landan town. (Did you like my accent there?) not only does it combine tube info, including when your next met line will arrive on platform 2, but also bus stops, boris bikes and national train services. You can tell it where you work and live and it can tell you the best way to get there and how long it will take you. Check it out. Min marks out of 10. 9.16

Joke: I've decided to call our new dog '5 miles'. So I can tell everyone I walk 5 miles every day...

Right, time to have a little cough now so have a lovely weekend and a great sleep.

A small man called Min.

Got anything new to report? - Min's MinIT Update. Friday 14th June 2013

Well hello hello. Here we are again and what an exciting week it has been. More later...

Lot to fit in today, so lets not mess about and on with the show!

Tube: Cryptonomicon, that's the book the dude next to me is reading. He is on page 7 and not fallen asleep so far, so looking promising. I guess that's quite an impressive word to remember for the next time you play scrabble!

Shout out: Just to say a massive thank you to all the folks who have given me a like on LinkedIn or downloaded the book. Even had some oversee downloads, but that was probably just the FBI. Big shout out to my favourite recruitment lady who has a clear edge on her competitors with the number of blog likes.

Kawks2009: Just in case the weekly tech blog is not enough for you and you want to see me do some one liners, I now have a video channel on YouTube, called Kawks2009. About 6 videos on there so far and only need another 499,984 views and YouTube will send me a cheque for £10. Come on mum, get clicking....

Gadget: So, nearly took the day off early this week to make sure I could get my self ready for the Apple conference IOS7 launch. Apple are certainly very slick at doing these events, especially when you see what Samsung did recently with their S4 launch. Simple, no nonsense and slick..but enough about me, what can we expect in the fall? (why can't they just say spring or September..expect broken bones perhaps and a 4 hr wait at A&E?)

Really liked the new IOS7 features and finally has some things that should have been available a year or two ago. The control centre for making it much easier for turning on Airplane mode, Bluetooth, flashlight etc by just swiping up rather than messing about going to settings and  3 other menus is very much welcome. The amount of time i will save the next time I'm on a flight and I want to take some pictures of the ground crew playing football with my suitcase is going to be massive... The other features like multitasking and airdrop are also neat. Good to see that finally I don't need to spend all that time whilst I'm on the loo in the morning doing App updates as these will now happen automatically. Hurrah...Overall, good job Mr Cook, you can stay for a while longer. Min marks out of 10: 9.59

Gadget: In this stressful world we live in, where its go, go, go. (And that's just when your playing monopoly at work), when you have a billion email in your inbox by 9:31 and the mrs has also given you a long list of chores for the day. Yes dear, I won't forget your vitamin tablets from Boots, to ring the council about the bins and ringing the Indian high commission about visas for the mother in law (Shame they never pick up). You get the gist right, it's a stressful life we live in and if you want to stayed chilled out, this app can help you monitor yourself. Oy, not like that, get your hands out of your pockets...I meant your heart beat!! What you do is place your finger in front of the camera and it uses the camera light to detect your pulse. Clever huh. I always make sure I do a bit of yoga and some chanting, deep breaths (imagine you are floating in the sky and all round you, there are birds chirping)...My last reading was 72, which is within the boundaries for a human being (60-100), so that's great. Check out Heart Beat pro if you too want to make sure you are alive....Min Marks out of 10...8.72

Joke: Overheard on the tube: 'I think that weird guy sat on his own is listening to our conversation.'...

Right, that's your lot! Have a wonderful weekend and a lovely sleep.

A small man called Min

Got anything new to report? - Min's MinIT Update. Friday 7th June 2013

Well hello hello! How are we all today? Thanks so much to the folks who have downloaded my book from the iBook store. Will keep this blog brief just in case Penguin or Random House are trying to call me to get me to sign a mega million pound deal (and movie rights).

So, lets not mess about. On with the show.

Tube: There is a  bloke to my right in a purple hoodie who is watching one of those Japanese Manga style cartoons on his Samsung Galaxy. Nice. It has English subtitles and he also has his headphones on. Wonder if the narration is in English too? Might ask him in a sec if I can borrow one of the headphones and listen in...

Advert: First direct were going to be offering new customers a family of china piggy banks. But they thought you would prefer £100 instead. Too right Fiirst Direct, what were the Chinese family supposed to put their savings in??

Gadget: Picture the scene..You are in a meeting, it's been over 40 minutes and your getting a bit bored (perhaps a bit sleepy if you've just had lunch), and you've ticked off all the business speak lines such as 'let's talk offline' (when did you turn into a computer, how about you talk after the meeting) or 'our immediate strategic objective is to climb the maturity staircase and along the way pick up the low hanging fruit' (tell you what bud...firstly I'm only 5ft 2 and that fruit still looks quite high and have you thought about just going to Sainsbury's..

Sorry I digress...so you really want to get out your phone to have a quick look to see if anyone has sent you a text or updated their Facebook status (to tell you that they went to the gym for lunch (err hello..what kind of sandwiches do they sell in there?). Well, my dear blog readers, fear not, the pebble watch is here. It uses Bluetooth to connect to your phone and gives you all these kind of alerts. Your watch buzzes when you get a notification and you can just look cool and pretend you are just checking what the time is! The most amazing feature is that you can change the clock face, and it even works in the swimming pool. Wowza is all I can say. It's £125 and if it wasn't for the fact that there are big rumours from apple that they will be announcing their watch (I wonder what they will call it?) I would have brought one for my other hand. Still good effort pebble, not actually seen one in real life so you get a Min marks out of 10...8.19

App: Got more of an update this week as the Phillips hue app is now totally amazing and for those hangers on, worth considering buying. App is free (though kit to make it work like the bulbs and hub costs £180. See my first tech blog for what the lights are all about. So several new features to tell you about. It now has geofencing and so as you approach your house, it knows that daddy is home and turns on the lights for you. Same when you leave. You can set it to small, medium or large so control how far away you want this to happen. But the most amazing feature now is that they have linked up with IFFTT (nope I hadn't heard of this before either) but it means that you can trigger the lights to do something based on specific things happening. So For example, I've connected it to the weather channel so if the forecast is rain in the next few hours, the lights go blue, it's connected to the sports channel, so if Liverpool score a goal, they go red (no jokes about wont be needing that then), or even if someone tags you on Facebook the lights blink twice. Cool huh. Come round if you want a demo...updated Min marks out of 10...9.87

Joke: I really wish I knew who kicked the jack out from under the car I was working on...The suspension is killing me...

Right , that's your lot. Download the book, free for the first 100 downloads and has lots of extra bits in there (including my Facebook updates)

Have a great sleep!

A small man called Min

Got anything new to report? - Min's MinIT Update. Friday 31st May 2013

Well hello hello! How are we all? A nice short week and predicted to get to a crazy 20c today. Wowza...

Not got a seat on the tube, so let's not mess about, on with the show.

Tube: There is a bloke next to me playing Football Manager on his Sony Laptop. It's currently Chelsea 1 - Wigan 1. He is really into it and changing the formation every couple of mins. Wonder if he will get fired if Chelsea lose?

Advert: 'My sweat terminates here'. Ho Ho ho, my sides. See what you did there Boots anti perspiration spray...yeah I know, it stinks...

Gadget: Picture the scene, it's late, you've just come back from the pub / work / Indian restaurant and you fancy watching some TV for a bit before going to bed. However disaster!!! You can't find the sky remote (other TV services are also available). You check under the pillows, under the sofa (do you find it's quite soothing on your cheek if you have a laminate floor when doing this) and finally even the TV cabinet drawers, where there are 20 other remotes from back in the day that you know will be helpful at some point, just in case you want to watch your VHS video of your wedding. (Even though you no longer have the video recorder any more, just the remote). Looking at all the remotes and thinking I'll just take out the batteries as I can use them somewhere else ( even though you brought 20 for a £1 from the 99p store. If you thought I was going to say Poundland...hello I'm Indian and every penny counts and that spare change comes in handy on so many occasions. (Leaving card envelope when everyone watches but pretends not to when the card comes round the office and you have to be seen to be sticking something  in for John's card (who the hell was he anyway?). Back to the plot...so in order to make sure that I was NEVER in that situation again, I decided to buy this gadget. It's a massive remote control that is so big, we have to store it in the garage. The jag now has to be parked on the road as there isn't enough space for both...it's brilliant and each button is the size of your hand (or finger if your normal size). You can control all your devices from the TV, Sky, magic box, Playstation, sound system, Toaster..you get the gist. Got it from Tiger and it was about 7 British pounds. Min marks out of 10. 8.19. Would have been more but the batteries are the size of sleeping bags and take ages to rub when they are running low on juice.

App: Every wondered what to do when you have a dilemma and just not sure what to do? You know, should I have toast or Rice Krispies today, wear flat shoes or heels (that's just the men), comb my hair or look like I'm a hobo. Well this is where the app comes in and my life has not been the same. The app is called Thumb and as well as helping others with their dilemmas you can post pics and questions yourself. You get back a thumbs up, down or neutral and sometimes comments. It's dead good fun and makes the evenings the mother in law comes round just fly by...Min marks out of 10. 7.52

Joke: I have't spoken to Preeti for a week now. I don't like to interrupt her...

Right that's you lot. Try not to melt in the heat today and have a lovely sleep,

A small man called Min

Got anything new to report? - Min's MinIT Update. Friday 17th May 2013

Well hello hello! It's Friday, it's coming up to the bank holiday weekend...it's raining..hurrah...

No messing about this week as feeling a bit sleepy and already midway to the office.

Advert: O2 are proudly displaying their new offer 'change phones as often as you change tubes'. Well that's all fair and good O2, but not everyone is a pickpocket...

Gadget: Just got off the phone to my contacts at Apple and got some juicy news about the new iPhone 5S. Listen up...that right, it's going to have a better spec mic. Brilliant...if only I was with O2, I'd have swapped mine in a heartbeat. (Perhaps could have heard the heartbeat with the 5S). There are also rumours of Apple launching a budget version of the iPhone which will have plastic instead of aluminium. Well that's Preeti's birthday present sorted...Can't give Min Marks out of 10, till I see it, so holding score till then....2.13. (Come on Apple sort your selves out, give us SOMETHING otherwise you know what's gonna happen...)

Ooo, before I forget, my iBook which is currently in final stages of review by Apple should by available by the weekend. It's a book version of my tech blogs plus all my FB updates that week. And yes you cheapskates its free...just search for author 'Bhogaita' or the title of this blog.

App: Zeebox. Believe it or not (no not you Ripley), but no one just watches TV anymore. Most of us usually have our iPhone or tablet on whilst we watch Sir Alan (Glueless...bloody clueless)...or Britain Got Talents init (Leicester version). That's right and this app, Zeebox is bloody brilliant. Not only can you use it to change your TV channel (aka Sky+ app), it shows you real time tweets from the general public and stars who are watching the same programme. It really made the 3 hrs and 15mins of the Eurovision Song Contest fly by! (My favourite lyrics on the show were 'It becomes untrue because of my shoes I’m wearing today, one is called love the other is pain”...nice (perhaps get a bigger size next time). App is very addictive and gets Min Marks out of 10...9.73

Joke: well going to do a little poem to make up for always having a joke at Preeti's expense...

I can't eat in the morning because I'm thinking of her.

I can't eat at lunchtime because I'm thinking of her.

I can't eat in the evening because I'm thinking of her.

I can't sleep at night because I'm really starving...

Right, that's your lot! Have a lovely bank holiday sleep,

A small man called Min

Got anything new to report? - Min's MinIT Update. Friday 17th May 2013

Well hello hello. Yes I know it's late and you normally expect the blog to be ready by 8.25am, but I have a valid excuse (just in case you were wanting a refund or something). Woke up dead early and had most of the blog written by 7am, even made sure to do a copy every so often and was mid way through the app section then was busy all day at work. Thought I'd finish it on the way back home and then boom (that's the sound effect denoting that the battery died) and when I charged it up, the paste was not pasting. Damn...

Thought about sacking it off this week, till the phone started ringing and the texts started to pile in saying if I was ok, alive and where was the blog. And as they say, no matter what happens, the show must go on...unless your Rolf Harris, Jimmy Saville, etc. 

Enough of the messing about, on with the show!

App: Bluetooth Speaker. Imagine the scene. it's Sunday afternoon, your at home busy looking at random stuff on FB (better than doing those chores right?) Then the door bell goes. "Whose this? At this time?" (as if there's a better time). and yes, it's Auntiji and some relatives that you see every couple of years who decided to give you a visit as the wedding nearby finished early and it was ages since they had lunch. Get ready for that tricky time that you never quite know what to do as the guests come into the hallway. Do you give them a hug? Bow whilst doing something with your hands? or go old skool and give them a kiss (well touch cheeks for a bit). I always seem to get stuck in two minds and go half way between the two and just make me look like a bloke whose lived in space for a few months and not quite used to gravity back on earth!. After this standard ritual and 'here have some glasses of water' bit come the next stage in the process. BTW, like me do you always go for the one that's got the least water in it? because its probably luke warm. I mean should I drink it or have a little wash with it? 

Finally, its that time! oh yes, time to crack out those frozen Samosas you brought from Leicester. you know the ones right, £10 for 50 right. (if you live it London, make that £20.) This is where this week's gadget comes in! To look super cool and also relax the mood, I switched on the Bluetooth speaker that is so small that it fits in the palm of my hand (and I've got small hands!). You can play music from your iPhone via the tooth that is blue and the sound is amazing! Even better than the 7.1 DTS DDS STS GTI sound system I brought from Rayners Lane Market. But check this next bit out! It also comes with a microSD slot, so you flick a switch on the bottom of the device and it plays music direct. I'd loaded Anup Jalota and some Krishna songs on it for extra brownie points, which did the trick with Aunty..well until those songs ran out and Drake started playing on it. Damn, back to square one! Min Marks out of 10. 9.75. For about £25 you can't go wrong and it even has these cool LEDs and rechargeable battery.

App: Snapchat. Having seen this in the App Store Top 10, I thought I'd look into it a bit more. what can I say. Err harram. Apparently it's one for the teens and its used to send pics or videos to your friends (or randomers) and you can control how long they see the image/video for, after which it self destructs (boom!..that was it self destructing). A

nd why would I want to send a picture of my nose to anyone? hmmm. Min Marks out of 10. 2.16.

Joke: Preeti said shes leaving me because apparently "I live my life through my iPhone". I've no idea where she's getting that idea from my dear blog reader and I've left her a voice mail message to that effect...

Right that's you lot and it actually is time to have a lovely sleep!

A small man called Min.

Got anything new to report? - Min's MinIT Update. Friday 10th May 2013

 Well hello hello! How are we all on this merry Friday morning. Looking at my fellow Met Line passengers on my way to work, I'd say 'ready for the weekend'. On my left we have a lady playing scrabble on her iPhone (stalled - good word lady), and on my right the dude is reading a book on his ipad mini called 'A feast for crows' (la di da...)

Before we get on with the show, just a quick mention that this recent series of blogs will be available in the iBook store in a couple of days as a proper book. Not only will it have all the blog content, like a DVD (or blueray if your posh), it has some extras. the extras in this case being my FB musings (jokes). I know these extras are usually rubbish (see black hawk down where they had this whole section on how they composed the music), but I've put this in for the hundreds of you who would rather punch yourself in the face then join the book of the face. My last book about my met line journey home has been downloaded in 64 countries so no pressure peeps, no pressure...yes, before you ask, it's free to download!

On with the show!

New section: (requested by my brother in law): Tube advert of the week.  There is one about Toilet Roll. Wowza! Why are there adverts trying to sell toilet roll? Whose not buying it?...

App: If you are like me and can't be without a wifi signal around the house, then I have just the thing for you! Imagine, like last Sunday, your sitting in the garden, swinging in your hammock whilst wanting to see on catchupTV or the bbc iplayer app  if Ronnie was going to make a 147 or self destruct during the snooker world championship. However, your iPad (mines is only wifi as I'm a cheap guy) refuses to find your router as it's in the opposite corner of your house. What you gonna do boy? (Quote from Speed - all rights reserved). Well, I brought this amazing bit of kit which allows you to plug into any socket and it uses the electrical cabling in your home just like if you had a massive long network cable! It comes with 2 bits, 1 that you plug into your router, and one for where you need a signal. Dead easy to set up and even comes with a Ethernet port if you did want to go old school and physically wire up your laptop to it. These things have really come down in price and I reckon you could get one for about £35. Shabash technology (and shabash Ronnie...see you next year). Min marks out of 10. 8.76.

App: Nearest Tube. Ever gone somewhere in London, where the first bit was easy, where you hopped into a cab from work to a restaurant in the city for a celebratory project din dins (ie that's fine to claim back the expense...you worked damn hard on that project and even worked past 8pm...mostly because the free pizzas didn't arrive in the office till 7:45. Anyways, so you have the lovely meal (being a veggie, before i even look at the menu I just tell the waiter 'can I have the token risotto with mushrooms dish pls. Obviously have to have the pudding as well as what does a pudding over £10 look like!! And then the dreaded moment of wondering how the hell do I find the nearest tube station? Well fear not my dear blog reader, help is at hand with this lovely app. It uses AR (alternate reality) to superimpose on your camera where all the tube stations are! Amazing. So as you hold the phone up and do a 360, it shows you the tube station direction and even how many yards away it is! It's great and I've only been mugged a couple of times whilst waving it in front of my face like a loon. It's a paid one, 69p, but saves hours walking up and down the street like a hobo. Min Marks out of 10. 9.69

Joke: I helped Preeti with the dinner last night. I took the batteries out of the smoke alarm...

Right that's your lot. Have a great weekend and a lovely sleep!

A small man called Min