(CNN) – When Google announced its cloud-based Chromebook Pixel laptop, the tech community was left puzzled.

They couldn’t put a little category box around the Pixel, so they began berating the only thing they could: the software. But sometimes a new product comes along that represents a major shift in how we have learned to do things.

Google loaned me a Pixel for this review, and I liked it so much that after I returned the review model I purchased my own. I’ve been using it for more than a month, but it only takes turning the computer on once to realize how different it is from anything else out there.

First, though, some background: Google’s Chromebooks are built on the promise of cloud computing, where your files live not on your hard drive but on Web servers. Everything you upload is just a click away if you want it to be.

The files don’t physically have to be in the same location as the worker. More and more people are embracing the cloud, not just at work, but on their personal machines, too.

They upload all sorts of files, accessible anywhere. Enter the Chromebook.

Within the last two years, Google has started selling these affordable computers that run an operating system called Chrome OS.

Chrome OS, and its open-source sibling, Chromium OS, are Google’s answer to the desktop computer. Built for the cloud, they run through a combination of the Chrome OS browser and Web apps.

Up to now, the computers have been inexpensive and fast. But Google has done something unexpected with the new Chromebook Pixel.

This new computer is still very much a Chromebook, but it boasts sturdy, Apple-like aluminium unibody design. It also has a gorgeous touchscreen that demands to be seen and touched. You can interact with all your content with just a swipe of your finger.

After the computer boots up, simply log into your Google account and all your apps, e-mail, calendar appointments and contacts load instantly. Google has created a seductive app launcher, sort of like how Apple operates with its iLife suite but still unique. Instead of a physical computer dictating how you do what you do, the Chromebook Pixel is offering you a way to work and connect that requires only your username and password.

Let’s jump right into some of my favorite features:

– Trackpad. It’s the best I have ever used. It is fluid and responsive and in my opinion, better than the MacBook Pro trackpads I’ve used in the past.

– Keyboard action response. It is not too firm but not too mushy, as I have experienced on some Apple laptops. Depressing a key on the chiclet-style keyboard produces just the right amount of pushback. I have found that the action of the keys is just stiff enough to prevent accidental bumping of other keys while your hands move across the keyboard.

– Display. The resolution on the screen, my favorite feature, is simply amazing, although it’s more than just the crispness of the screen. The way it renders colors is completely unique. I have used MacBook “Retina display” laptops before, but I prefer the color of the Pixel’s display, which appear warmer and more alive. The screen’s viewing angles are wide and have very little glare — perfect for viewing in a group setting.

Now here are three features I don’t like so much:

– Battery Life. I am usually plugged into a wall socket for power, but on the rare chance I venture out without the charger; I’m disappointed how quickly the battery gets to red. I wonder if there is a software update that can do some improvement on power management of the battery?

– Charging port. It can sometimes get unhinged from the computer by the tiniest accidental pull of the wire. I wish the computer held the power cord a little more snugly so I would not have to keep plugging it back in.

– Fan noise. I don’t usually hear the fan running unless I have a lot of windows open on my screen or am watching a hi-def video. But the Pixel’s fan can get spinning very fast and loud. I wonder if a software update would be able correct this when the fan speed switches to hyper-drive.

Still, on balance the Chromebook Pixel is a fine machine. The computer is very quick, thanks to a beefy processor and the fact that most tasks are done via apps online. Its Chrome OS has a history of being secure (although cloud computing will never be as protected as a local personal hard-drive). Earlier this year Google held a competitive hackathon and offered $3.14 million in prize money if anyone could infiltrate Chrome OS.. No winner was announced.

If you’re looking for a speedy, sturdy machine and are comfortable living in the cloud, the Pixel may be for you. Overall I found this computer to be a refreshing approach to computing in the cloud, thanks to its hi-def screen and wicked fast computing power. My month with the Pixel thoroughly changed my thinking on how a computer should behave while handling my files.

With the Pixel, I’m totally on cloud nine.

What’s been your experience with the Chromebook Pixel? Or are you considering buying one? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Chrome Pixel appeared first on Planet Linux Caffe.

LINUX LUG 

South Dade Linux User Group

Hi Everyone,

Please Join us Saturday July 9 for our monthly lug meeting starting at 10:30am @ Planet Linux Caffe, 1430 Ponce De Leon Blvd, FL. 33134

Meeting Agenda

- Introduction – meet and greet

- Main topic is – TBD

- Open Floor – Talk about next meetup topics.

If you want to know about the most important Operating System in the world …. Join us!

Have Fun!!!

The post Linux User Group – LUG appeared first on Planet Linux Caffe.

by Dan Grabham

What do you get when you combine the Raspberry Pi with some inspirational young inventors? Terrific Raspberry Piproject designs, that’s what.

Fourteen groups of teams from schools, universities and businesses gathered in late March at PA Consulting Group’s Cambridge Technology Centre for the awards ceremony of the PA and Raspberry Pi-making competition.

The young programmers presented their inventions to a hand-picked judging panel after being given three months to work on their designs, a £25 Raspberry Pi and up to £50 of additional hardware and software.

The idea was that the inventions should be beneficial to others – perhaps enabling better healthcare delivery, promoting information or benefiting the environment.

The competition was launched in response to a fall in programming skills and was aimed at increasing the numbers of skilled coders, developers and engineers.

Statistics suggest there are too few UK school children studying the core STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects and too few school leavers studying STEM subjects at university. All of which means too few graduates are attracted to industry.

“The idea behind the Raspberry Pi came from concern about the year-on-year decline in the numbers, and skills levels, of A Level students applying to read Computer Science in each academic year,” said Eben Upton, Executive Director of the Raspberry Pi Foundation.

So without further ado, let’s check out some of the projects put together by the teams:

1. Raspberry running device – Norton Community Primary School

This school loves running. The idea behind its device was that it makes it easy to time laps and upload the results of each session to a special website for everyone to view. At the end of each lap, the runner taps the Raspberry Pi with their tag, which logs their time. The idea is for runners to view their time and have a little bit of friendly competition with each other.

 

 

2. Door-answering system – The Richard Pate School

The door answering system won the primary school prize for The Richard Pate School. This system was developed to help old or disabled people answer their door. Using a wireless keypad, which hangs around the person’s neck, they can use it anywhere in their house to unlock their door or send a message to the person standing outside. The system also allows the person waiting at the door to enter a code on a keypad and enter straight away.

 

 

3. Raspberry Pi electricity monitor – UNOP

This system uses a Raspberry Pi to monitor household electricity consumption. Using a wireless electricity monitor, data is collected and plotted onto a graph so the homeowner can view and assess which of their household products, be it a computer or a washing machine, is using up the most energy.

 

 

4. Pen Pi – East Sheen Primary

The Pen Pi is this school’s modern version of a penfriend. By linking up to discarded keyboards and monitors, the Pen Pi enables primary schools in far-flung countries to communicate, in a more cost effective way, with schools on the other side of the world by using programmes such as Skype. As schools in third-world countries do not have the financial resources to invest in school technology, they communicate with other schools using a Raspberry Pi.

 

 

5. Automated Raspberry Pi powered pill dispenser – Dalriada School

Winning the secondary school category, this entry stood out amongst some outstanding projects in the category. The judges said it demonstrated good use of the hardware and software as well as showing superb team work. Remembering to take the right number of pills at the right time can be stressful, particularly for those who are elderly or very sick. This automated pill dispenser makes managing medicine easier: the Raspberry Pi connects a pill dispenser with the person’s GP, who can programme the administration of the drugs through a website. Correct dosages drop out of the Raspberry Pi controlled pill dispenser at the specified times. Meanwhile, if sensors detect pills haven’t moved once dispensed, an alert is sent to a family member who can remind them.

 

 

6. Burglar deterrent – Roedean School

Want to prevent thieves from breaking in to youe home? One student from Roedean school did after she was the victim of a break in. To help deter burglars, this device was created to switch lights on and off around the house to make a burglar think that someone is inside.

7. Automated school work distribution and collection device – Highgate School

The device helps pupils hand in homework and receive classwork from their teachers via their own USB stick and the Raspberry Pi. Files on the device can be seamlessly transferred to students and homework can be passed directly to the teacher. When inserted into the Raspberry Pi, the USB recognises the student’s ID and moves across any files that are new. The device can be used without internet access. Once the teacher has marked the homework, the document gets transferred back to the student.

8. Air quality and weather surveillance device – Westminster School

Winning the 16-18 age group, the judges said this project was very impressive and showed real foresight. This Raspberry Pi takes in information about air quality through its sensors and upload it directly to the internet, where it can then be viewed on a smartphone or tablet. This device can measure temperature, humidity, smoke, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.

 

 

The post 8 great Raspberry Pi kids projects appeared first on Planet Linux Caffe.

By Leslie Horn

We all know Google Glass doesn’t need sorcery for you to comfortably see a digital image projected over reality. But just how does it work?

This infographic by Martin Missfledt  lays out the way the magic happens in simple terms.

The most important part of the shades is a mini-projector that uses a semi-transparent prism to project the computer image directly onto your retina.

Despite being super duper close to your peepers, the image is bright and clear. And because the image is slightly transparent, you can comfortably place it right in front of your eyes.

So while there are still some challenges for Google to cater the glasses to people who wear prescription lenses, there’s no trickery involved—just simple science.

Image credit: Brille-Kaufen/Martin Missfledt

The post How Google Glass Works appeared first on Planet Linux Caffe.

SAN FRANCISCO — Ouya is ready for its close-up.

After a remarkably successful Kickstarter campaign that raised over $8 million last June, the startup will release its eponymous Ouya game console to retailers on June 4, it said on Thursday evening. The $99 box aims to disrupt the television gaming market the way that the iPhone upended the world of portable games, by allowing any developer to craft inexpensive games. Based on an Android chipset, Ouya aims to keep costs low and encourage innovation in a way that traditional competitors can’t.

Wired got its first hands-on time with a finished Ouya at the San Francisco offices of fuseproject, the design firm of Yves Behar, who created the tiny metal cube that houses Ouya. It’s still a little rough around the edges (there was a bit of controller lag and some crashes) but CEO Julie Uhrman seemed totally at peace with that. Ouya is going out to its “earliest backers” beginning today, and she says these early owners will be able to “watch the UI evolve to where it will be by June 4.”

As of right now, it’s just fun to hold an Ouya. One doesn’t expect a game console to come in such a tiny form factor. It’s deliberately underpowered, of course, but as of now that just seems to be leading developers to create pretty 2-D imagery or use simpler polygonal models, instead of trying to force the hardware to render things it wasn’t built for.

The interface is simple, just a menu of four words: Play, Discover, Make and Manage. The latter lets you adjust the system settings; the first is a list of the games you own. It’s in the middle two options where things get interesting.

It’s common knowledge in the world of iOS apps that you get noticed in one of two ways: Get featured in the store via Apple’s secretive process of internal curation, or (by hook or by crook) get onto the top-grossing or most-downloaded charts.

“We don’t think downloads or revenue are good indicators of what a good game is,” Uhrman says. To that end, Ouya is crafting its own automatic algorithm that will determine whether or not a game is any good, based on other players’ behaviors. How many times have they played it? For how long are they playing it? When a player turns on their Ouya, is it the first game they immediately boot up? All of these factors will influence how prominently games are positioned in the Ouya marketplace when a player clicks on “Discover.”

There will also be an element of hand-picked curation on Ouya. That process, Uhrman says, will be led by Kellee Santiago, co-founder of Journey creator thatgamecompany and now Ouya’s head of developer relations. All new games will go into an area called the “Sandbox,” and will be pulled up into the “Recommended” feed after they hit the jackpot on the automated fun algorithm, or are selected by Santiago’s team.

Ouya’s radical re-envisioning of television games doesn’t stop with just recreating the iPhone on the TV. There’s no difference, Uhrman says, between a developer kit and a retail console — all you need to make games is the Ouya and a PC. You can connect it to your PC and transfer your game builds directly to your Ouya, then upload them for all to play and test if you want. These will be listed under “Builds” in the “Make” menu.

Game designers are also free to try different methods of monetization, some that are allowed on the App Store and others that are not. For instance, a difficult action game called Stalagflight is free to play and offers no in-game item purchases, but simply allows you to donate money to the developers via an in-game menu that states that your purchase will not alter the game in any way.

Will a digital “tip jar” actually work? Who knows? Then again, you could say the same thing about Ouya. It’s true that the gaming landscape is shifting tectonically, and it seems like the ground is falling out from underneath the traditional, established models of the super-expensive console and $60 games. But just because Ouya’s philosophy seems sound doesn’t mean that this particular device will succeed.

Either way, we can certainly see Nintendo and Sony reacting to the new landscape with their presentations and booths at Game Developers Conference this week. Nintendo, in lieu of showing off its own new games, is demonstrating how small developers can create inexpensive games on Wii U by using HTML5 and Javascript.

It was in jumping around the menu and playing the Ouya games, passing around the controller with Uhrman and other Ouya employees, that I realized how different this was from the other game console demos I’ve attended over the years: Nobody in the room knew what was going to happen. When I was playing a game, the crew was cheering me on because they wanted to see what the next level looked like. Now that it’s in the hands of developers, Ouya isn’t entirely Julie Uhrman’s baby anymore — it’s filling up with content at a rate faster than she and her co-workers can keep up with it.

And it hasn’t even launched yet.

The post OUYA is coming out soon: June 4th appeared first on Planet Linux Caffe.

WordPress desde “cero” en un solo día ? Aunque no lo creas, si es posible….. con nuestro taller “Jornada Completa de WordPress” obtendrás una perfecta guía de trabajo en el modo más personalizado. Trae tu propio ordenador portátil o netbook y te ayudaremos a construir tu propio sitio Web en internet. Nuestro curso para principiantes te enseñará todo lo que necesitas saber para construir y operar un sitio web con WordPress. Al finalizar la clase tendrás tu página Web funcionando.

El taller se realizará de 10am a 5pm del día Domingo 7 de Abril. El curso será para un máximo de 15 personas y su costo es de $40 por persona.

Requerimientos:

• Traer un ordenador portátil / notebook con Wifi . Es preferible que Mozilla Firefox esté instalado en tu sistema.
• Reservar tu lugar y paga a través de http://www.meetup.com/MIAMI-WORDPRESS-WEBSITES-INTERNET-SEO-SECURITY-WORKSHOP/events/111190452/

Algunos beneficios:

• Si todavía no has abierto una cuenta en WordPress hosting, puedes crearla en WordPress.com o Myproximos.com en forma gratuita.
• Si no lo puedes hacer, deberías estar 10 minutos antes del comienzo, para que podamos ayudarte a configurar una.

Gracias y nos vemos en el Taller de WordPress!

The post Jornada Completa de WordPress appeared first on Planet Linux Caffe.

Google Developers Group South Florida presents:
“Google Webmaster Tools:  See Your Website Like Google See It”

Its use and how to read it.
Configuration
Taking advantage of it.
Checking your site health

Speaker: Tony Lester

The post Google Webmaster Tools appeared first on Planet Linux Caffe.

Database Design Disasters and an Introduction to TypeScript

April brings spring, showers and another great dotNet Miami meeting! Join us on Thursday April 18th where Richie Rump will be back showing us some of the most common mistakes when developing databases and how some decisions can turn into disasters. Then, Ross Terman will show us a new exciting JavaScript technology, TypeScript. which introduces type-checking and inheritance into the JavaScript family. So join us for keen insight on current technology and an insightful look into a new one.

This month we have a very special giveaway. The first thirty people to arrive at the meeting and that are registered to the dotNet MiamiGoogle Group will receive a 4GB flash drive courtesy of Redgate. We will also be giving away more books, swag, and more one-month subscriptions to PluralSight.

Because we don’t want the fun to stop when the meeting is over we’ll be at Miller’s Ale House on Miracle Mile (101 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables) for food and networking. All are welcome.

Session and Speaker Details:

Database Design Disasters

Not every system has a database architect available to design it. But what happens when developers design database and don’t take the proper care into designing a database? This session will take a real-world look into my experiences with some database design choices. In this interactive session, we’ll take a deep look into these design choices including a detailed discussion on why they didn’t work and what could have been done better. We may even take a peek into SQL Server internals. If you’ve ever needed to read or write to a database you’ll learn some valuable lessons from this session.

Richie Rump is a software developer, data architect and project manager. He currently helps companies solve their data challenges using SQL Server and .Net. He holds the Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Scrum Master (CSM) and various Microsoft development certifications. Richie is also the founder of the dotNet Miami, a community focused on enterprise development with .NET and SQL Server. His previous experience includes working with Burger King, FPL, Ryder and Walt Disney World.

Introduction to TypeScript

TypeScript is a language for application-scale JavaScript development. TypeScript is a typed superset of JavaScript that compiles to plain JavaScript. Any browser. Any host. Any OS. Open Source. We’ll cover the rational for using TypeScript and show basic features including strong type checking, modules, and inheritance.

Ross Terman began programming in 1978 using Business Basic running on an OS called IRIS. Over the years Ross has worked with DataFlex, ObjectVision, Visual Basic, and ActiveReports. He began working with DotNet when it was still in beta and has worked with it ever since. He’s currently focusing on HTML 5.0, JavaScript, and Web API applications. Ross also develops Office 365/SharePoint solutions.

Ross started XEQ Information Solutions in 1991 to serve small and medium sized clients and it’s still going strong. He’s also been actively involved in the local development community for over 20 years, including 3 years as president of the Southeast Florida Database Developers Group in the mid 1990s.

The post Database Design Disasters and an Introduction to TypeScript appeared first on Planet Linux Caffe.

Planet Learning Center:

WordPress Workshop

Learn WordPress from the ground up with our one day WordPress Workshop
is Miami most personalized way. Bring your own Laptop/Netbook Computer
and we will help you build your site. Our beginner’s course will teach
you everything you need to know to build and operate a WordPress
powered website. By the time you finish our one day class you will
have a fully functioning site.

Workshop start at 10 am on Saturday April 7 until 5pm. The fee is only
$40 per person, and only 15 people. A laptop/notebook computer with
Wifi is required with Firefox installed.
You MUST reserve your space and pay in the Meetup Miami WordPress
Workshop Group. Let me know your experience level when you register,
so we can help you learn how to get started with WordPress.

Regarding WordPress:
If you have not yet opened a WordPress hosting account, or you can
create an account at WordPress.com or Myproximos.com for free for the
class. If you can’t come in early so that we can help you set one up.

Thanks and see you at the WordPress Workshop!

WordPress Workshop Miami

The post WordPress Workshop Miami appeared first on Planet Linux Caffe.

BsidesORL Recap, Submarine Update, CTF Team meeting

On April 27th we will cover the following items.

Bsides Orlando recap
bsidesORL
Bsides Orlando was awesome!. What can we learn from their experience and apply to the upcoming HackmiamiCon?. What kind of shenanigans happened during the CTF?. Some announcements will be made regarding Hackmiami conference events and parties.
Submarine Update
submarine
We will discuss the latest stage of the hackmiami submarine and what is needed to finish it.

CTF Team meeting
NGs.png_large
We will re take the CTF project meetings and continue taking on new research and study. Also congratulate members of the CTF team project who placed in the first 12 out of the first 100 nationwide at the US Cyber Quests.

Join Us!

The post BsidesORL Recap, Submarine Update, CTF Team meeting appeared first on Planet Linux Caffe.