Friday, 30 December 2011

December snow

Taken couple of weeks ago.
Sadly out never stayed and we haven't had a white xmas...


Service due !


Golf GTi edition 30 mpg update


Wednesday, 21 December 2011

fantastic wet sanding article using a black edition 30 WOW

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=244507


Sunday, 18 December 2011

Golf edition 30 mpg update

Cruising well above the speed limit kills economy!


Saturday, 10 December 2011

Tuesday, 22 November 2011

ultra low mileage countach £400k !






http://www.amarisupercars.com/index.cgi?action=3&f0=1310829176-729#

How I became a programmer and why it may have been the wrong choice blog post

great blog post


http://enmaku.wordpress.com/2011/11/17/how-i-became-a-programmer-and-why-it-might-have-been-the-wrong-choice/


which contains this ...





with alt text


"In Connors second thesis it is stated;
There is no fate but what we make for ourselves;  
Does the routine destroy our creativity or do we lose creativity and fall into the routine?  Anyway, whos up for a road trip!"

Tuesday, 15 November 2011

Monday, 7 November 2011

MOT passed!

broken indicator needed replaced
xenon auto adjustment failed due to broken wire in headlamp loom!

Awesome - ECS 6-Speed Clutch Bleeder Block - Mk5 etc

Awesome - ECS 6-Speed Clutch Bleeder Block - Mk5

mmmm tempted

Samsung Galaxy S [i9000] [HOWTO] get a gps lock xda-developers

wifes Galaxy S was unwilling to get a GPS lock before xmas 2018, so a quick forum check finds out how to fix it, eh voila, fixed.....

[i9000 and i9003] [HOWTO] get a gps lock! :) - xda-developers:

basically

Method One – Most Successful , quickest GPS lock
Disable ‘Use Wireless Networks’ under Settings —> Location and Security.
Go into LbsTestMode (*#*#3214789650#*#*) or (use the shortcut method)
Go to Application Settings
Enable MS-Based Mode(in operation mode )
Increase Accuracy to 100
Leave the rest stock
Return to the main LbsTestMode menu
Go to SUPL/CP Settings
Select the Serve FQDN Type drop down menu
Hit AUTO Config
Exit to the dialer and reboot your device twice for good measure.

Morr releases 20 inch VS8.2 wheels : stunning white E93 M3

my favourite ever wheel manufacturer releases a new wheel.........

MORR Releases the 20" MonoForged VS8.2

Morr photoshoot


Monday, 24 October 2011

Samsung Galaxy S2 i9100 2000mAh Extended Battery kit review



This is the kit that takes the S2 from a great phone to a fantastic one.
Available from mobilefun but not exactly cheap (£24.95), contains a replacement 2000mAh battery and a replacement back cover for your S2.



Genuine Samsung Extended Battery kit Galaxy S2 i9100


Original battery is 1650mAh
Extended battery is 2000mAh


so its increased by +350mAh
which works out at
+21% (as a % of original size)
+17.5% (as a % of extended size)


which might not seem a lot, but its not an empirical increase in terms of actual battery life.
This is a genuine battery and none of your other 'nonbrandname' batteries you can get on ebay that are no better than the OE version.


Battery is slightly thicker and means that my OE mesh case did not fit.
So this meant I had to scour the forums to see what did....


some useful threads on xda ...


2000mAh battery thread on xda
2000mAh case compatibility thread


in the end I plumped for






SGP Samsung Galaxy S2 Case Neo Hybrid EX Series Soul Black


which has a gel inner casing that has a subsequent harder outer shell, and because its not a 'full' case the increased battery size (and cover) makes no difference.

I have already posted some battery stats but needless to say its a very worthwhile mod, that has increased my battery life to an easy full 'hard' days work, no longer I am concerned that the battery will run out mid afternoon.
commonly i'm at 40% last thing at night, and during low use times (weekends) i can often go a full 2 days!


Id say its added an easy +30% in battery life (maybe even more) , much more than the figures only suggest.


Get one :-)












Sunday, 23 October 2011

Tuesday, 27 September 2011

Saturday, 24 September 2011

Sunday, 11 September 2011

Samsung galaxy s i9000 battery life

Not the golden child anymore after the release of the galaxy s2, but my wife runs this phone and complained about the poor battery life.

So a quick check on kies shows a gingerbread update was available. Eh viola, firmware updated and the battery life is now nothing short of incredible, for a non power user (i.e. a lot of time at idle).

Life has gone from 2 days to nearly 10 days this week!

Shows how good a rom can be, cmon samsung sort out the s2 firmware please to be even half as good as this.



Wednesday, 7 September 2011

Oregon Scientific BAR800 Ultra Thin Weather Station : Review

Well, its been a while since i last did a review, few car related updates these days, so heres a home gadget review for one of Oregon Scientific's home weather stations, the Oregon Scientific BAR800 Ultra Thin Weather Station



Basically its a very smart clock with some weather assessement tools added on all in a very attractive iphone esque design.

Heres what oregon say on their website :

"The Ultra-Thin Weather Station is the height of design with its sleek profile and lustrous white finish. Ideal for use on a desk, on a wall, or next to a bed, you’ll have all the information you need to plan your day. Radio Controlled time is always precise and never needs adjusting.. Indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity keep you in the know, while an iconic weather forecast indicates future weather conditions."

Why

Well to be brutally honest, its because oregon sent me a unit to review!
Was i in the market for one? nope, i am however always up for reviewing items and this one had mean keen to see if it was any good.
I have in previous years bought one of the projection alarm clocks (not an oregon make) but i have to say aside from being "fun for 5 minutes" its usefulness was shortlived leaving me with a bulky alarm clock.
This "weather station" certainly had its work cut out, trying to prove its more than a glorified clock.

So onto the review, open and honest with no bias.

If i were looking for a weather station, what might my criteria be for choosing one?

looks
design
build quality
ease of use (including ability to toggle display options)
clarity of display
functions available
support and warranty
how unit is powered

Unboxing

Well labelled and thought out box design, very small which makes you think youve got the wrong item!



It really is a small box.
In the box are :



Install the batteries (supplied) into both the unit and the sensor and voila, its up and running.
At this point you need to wait for the sensor to sync with the unit, i went and left it, but shouldnt take more than 30 minutes.

The sensor supplies clock and weather data to the main clock unit, so therefore is supposed to have a clear line of sight of the sky.
(Im unclear on whether this means it should be outside? my assumption is that the clock unit measures indoor temp, whilst the remote unit supplies all other values. but then Im confused at to how the humidity for inside/outside is measured and by which unit)

The first thing you notice is how nicely built the unit is, as well as some heavy apple design cues in terms of colours and finish. The clock unit is supremely thin and fits very well with modern decor.
The clock unit can be wall mounted (fixings supplied) or used with its own very slick perspex stand that attaches to the unit using magnets.
As with all of these type of 'remote' units, the biggest problem youll find is where to put the remote sensor.
(an easy solution is to put the clock unit on a window sill and stand the remote unit behind it)

Item worked straight out of the box and the weather/clock had synced correctly next time i went to play with it (1 hr later).

I have now tried the unit at home in our kitchen, and on my desk at work over the last month.
So here are my thoughts :

Plus points
  • batteries for unit and sensor are provided in the box (top marks oregon)
  • shock and surprise, but the weather forecasting function seems to be reasonably accurate
  • well built for a gadget of this type
  • seperate sensor allows free positioning of the clock unit anywhere you want
  • stylish design : from a personal point of view the clear and white design is really classy and fits well with modern colours
  • magnetic perspex stand is a neat touch
  • clear design, easy to read display, buttons for toggling options easy to use.
  • mid range reasonably priced at £49.99 for this type of product
  • clock unit is very slim, about the size of a normal CD case
Minus points
  • Instructions are not necessarily clear as to where the remote sensor should be, and whether it should be outside or not
  • limited to only one sensor (only one possible outside temp)
  • not sure what happens if you lose the sensor!
  • really, how useful is a 12-24hr forward forecast? in modern times I have a smartphone that does this.

Others to consider
The marketplace is pretty saturated with this type of gadget, so you really need to decide what criteria you are trying to fulfil before surfing the web.


Summary

Initially i was very sceptical that this weather station would be of any use at all. 
However after several weeks, I'm very pleased that it does exactly what oregon state it should, accurately and in a very well designed and stylish case :-)
I have found myself actually using the internal and external temperatures, and of course the time/date.

The Oregon Scientific BAR800 Ultra Thin Weather Station, makes a welcome addition to any home, for yourself or as a gift for a friend.
If you are in the market for a weather station for a reasonable price, then id seriously consider this unit.



[UPDATE 31/10/11 : change in gmt for us moving into winter. I expected the weather station to have autoupdated to -1hr , alas it didnt and I had to do it manually!]

[UPDATE 31/10/11 No2 ! : ok so its so smart it auto-updated my corrected time to the wrong time (+1) again at some point today! So I have set the time zone offset to -1 by using the procedure below.
This fixes it for now but means it wont auto adjust during GMT / British summertime shifts twice a year, and will therefore need changed again march 2012
Sounds like a flaw to me. Shouldnt radio controlled alarms account for GMT changes ????

Anyway instructions on how to change offset below from the Oregon manual

MANUALLY SET CLOCK
To set the clock manually, disable the clock signal 
reception first.
1. Press and hold MODE.
2. Press  /  to change the settings.
3. Press MODE to confirm.
The settings order is: time zone, 12/24 hr format, hour, 
minute, year, calendar mode (month – day / day – month), 
month, day and language.
Time zone offset sets the clock +/- 23 hours from the 
received clock signal time.
 NOTE  If you enter + 1 in the time offset setting, this will 
give you your local time plus one hour.  If you are in the US 
(BAR800A) set the clock to:
0 for Pacific time  +1 for Mountain time
+2 for Central time        +3 for Eastern tim]

[UPDATE 19/102013
added docs link for the manual online.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_EbeXI3vAqlbXZQb3c2dnJ3OHM/edit?usp=sharing]


Monday, 29 August 2011

Golf gti edition 30 mpg update 338 miles @ 28 mpg

338 miles @ 28 mpg

running slightly reduced revo sps settings for boost and timing just to reduce the clutch straining torque spikes!


Sunday, 21 August 2011

Monday, 8 August 2011

Sunday, 24 July 2011

Thursday, 14 July 2011

Samsung galaxy s2 kf3 15hrs with 65% remaining!

New firmware definitely seems to have improved battery life. Usually down to 40% on previous ke7



Galaxy S2 firmware upgrade KE7 to KF3

another day another samsung galaxy s2 firmware update :-)
Using Kies again, and sticking with official Samsung updates (KF3 is still 2.3.3)
(although note that there is a 2.3.4 leaked firmware if you want to use Odin)

Heres the status after the upgrade



so far the battery life seems improved.

check out Android Forums for what 'may' be in the release.

Tuesday, 12 July 2011

Thursday, 7 July 2011

Thursday, 16 June 2011

chrome://net-internals/

paste into chrome browser , eh voila lots of cool and useful tools

chrome://net-internals/

Tuesday, 7 June 2011

Wednesday, 1 June 2011

Professor Jim Al-Khalili meets ... Brian Cox

some people whos opinions I greatly respect....

Professor Jim Al-Khalili hosts a series of 'an audience with' interviews at the University of Surrey. heres just 2



ALapRecorder : no HD video on Galaxy S 2 i9100

great app but alas you need to select 400 as the resolution for playback to be correct. HD just doesnt show correctly.
Developer is very helpful and Im sure will find a solution in due course. See link below
Adyno Support Forum link

Samsung galaxy s2 battery life i9100

Still fantastic on ke7, although I have noted some odd reporting for gps items again, where copilot shows up but I've never ran it.
Wifi sharing is also something that drains battery but I don't need.



Friday, 27 May 2011

Samsung galaxy s2 battery life

Stats with 30% battery life still remaining on ke7 firmware using launcher pro