Rough Cuts Ltd Blog

Just read a pretty misleading article on Google music and how it doesn't really 'gel' for people with Apple hardware, so I just wanted to set the record straight. For anyone that read the easy cheap networking post using Apple products, you'll be aware that pretty much most of the networked devices I have are Apple. For this article we only need to consider the 2 x Airport Express (Aex) units and Apple TV (Atv) devices. I also use a Mac an iPhone and an iPad. I use iTunes on the Mac pretty extensively for arranging and syncing music between the iPad and iPhone. Music I have is a mix of stuff bought through iTunes and MP3 ripped from old CD's. I boot up Google's Mac software 'Music Manager' which uploads my iTunes folder to Google Music. It doesn't offer 2 way sync, so if I delete an album from iTunes, it remains on Google Music. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing (sometimes I regret deleting an album, and as it's not eating into any storag...

The wireless future was supposed to make sharing films, photos, music and documents easier. Computers with various operating systems, mobile phones, would all be able to store and share information around the home, streaming from screen to screen or to a networked device from a networked storage device somewhere else in the same building. For many, this hasn't happened as easily as they thought. Setting up a 'workable' and enjoyable home network can be a challenge. But it doesn't have to be, there are easy and cheap work arounds for most of the problems. Surprisingly, many of these come from Apple. Let me explain my setup before I explain how it works, so that you can decide whether this is what you're looking to achieve. I'll explain the technology I use, the settings or programs I use, where appropriate and the connections between the devices that makes it all possible. We can wirelessly stream music to THREE rooms in the home. Living room, Bedroom and ...

The Sony Z is the current hottest Android handset on the market. There's no doubt on paper the unit trounces most of the competition. But does the best of Android beat the best of Apple? Well, for starters, there is the size difference to consider. The iPhone 5 is clearly much bigger than the older 4s. The 4s and all of the other handsets were marketted on the fact that you could use them with one hand. That is to say, you could still comfortably reach the upper left hand side of the screen, with the thumb on your right hand. The same can be said of the iPhone 5. Yes, it is a little longer, but it's no wider. So the one handed promises Apple made are still true. Not true of the Xperia Z. Not true at all, it's vast by comparison and it can only be described as a two handed machine. If texting while holding a pint is high on your agenda, you shouldn't even consider the Xperia! On the other hand, if you want the highest screen resolution, then perhaps surprisingly, (co...

I like Windows operating system. Both of my young kids are using windows phones and they just seem to know how to use them. One has the HTC Radar and one has the Nokia Lumia 800. In all honesty, the Lumia gives us the most headaches with the seemingly unfixable turning on/off bug that makes it nigh on impossible to switch back on after the battery becomes fully depleted, having booked the phone in for repair, it seems to be ok now; touch wood. The Radar, on the other hand, has been pretty much faultless. The Lumia 820 is a lovely unit though and so far, we've yet to hear of any similar software glitches. In the hand it feels like a high quality product. Again though, this new trend of 'bigger is best' makes it just a smidge too large for it to be comfortably used with one hand. Not only that, but the matt edges don't allow for a good grip and it's a heavy unit. So I suspect one to two may have been inadvertently 'launched'. The new Windows OS is lovely to ...