Tag Archives | review

Zippykid Hosting Review: The suckiest sucks of a sucking host that ever sucked a sucking suck

Written by on November 21, 2011
Filed Under Blogging

11/27/11 Update: After about a week and a half Vid (the founder of Zippykid) did about everything he could to help resolve my issue, moving my site to a new cluster, removing all caches to better troubleshoot things, trying different monitoring tools to detect for issues, so they do get an A for effort.  Unfortunately it was all to no avail.  There’s just something about either my theme or plugins (of a combination of such) that their server configuration HATES. Without a batter means of analyzing the source it would have taken months of trial and error to determine the culprit, time I didn’t have.  Hosting problems with my site aren’t unique to Zippykid though, as I’ve experienced performance/bug-related issues with Page.Ly and WP Engine as well, which I’ll write about in future posts.  It seems all the WordPress only host solutions out there really hate my blog.  :-P

**********************

If you’re wondering why I haven’t blogged in ages it might have something to do with the fact that I’ve been busy hopping from one craphole of a host to another.  Previously I was with a temporary host who offered me a free month of hosting after reading about my woes about weird HTTP critical errors on a forum, show stopping errors that my then host refused to address or help me with.

I decided ultimately the best thing I could do for my now 5 year old WordPress blog was to move it to a host that ONLY deals with WordPress installations, ensuring that 1) I wouldn’t be sharing a server with spammers and porno biz types who were maxing out server resources to spread their hoinky boinky doinks around the intertubez, and 2) I’d be dealing with a support crew that would be more knowledgeable about WordPress than say, Ivan Brrughsvanovvivich of <insert typically oversold host here> giving me 2nd level support in broken English from Poland.

Eventually I found out about Zippykid and their WordPress only platform and decided to give them a shot after running into their booth at BlogWorld.  I came home, signed up and started the process of migration, which typically costs $150.  Of course the migration crapped out, resulting in a large portion of my files inexplicably failing to be carried over.  I ended up uploading these files myself, and pretty much overwriting the rest of my content just to make sure nothing was corrupted via the transfer.  In fairness though they did cut the migration fee in half ($75), and after everything was pretty much moved over, I thought that would be the end of it, right?

Nope.  For the past week my blog has been throwing 502 gateway errors all over the place, which were popping up at random in my Pingdom logs, when I browsed around the site myself, and more disconcertingly, in the logs from Google Webmaster Tools, meaning the Googlebot was seeing it as well and doing God only knows what to my search engine rankings.

So I opened a support ticket.  A week ago.  The errors are still happening, but apparently because I’m on the cheapest plan, there’s no sense of urgency to get it resolved.  Apparently Zippykid seems perfectly content to let my site continue to crap out like this until I lose just about all my traffic, putting their support pretty much on the same level as the support you might expect from OverSoldHosts.com with their outsourced employees from Elbonia.

As usual, when you want something done you have to do it yourself.  To be fair though, Zippykid’s support has been trying to solve this mystery (when they actually get back to me that is, after much prodding on my part), but the nature of the errors is such that they leave little or no logs to be analyzed in order for the source of the problem to be determined.  So I went through the process of disabling plugins and reactivating them, switching themes (all to no avail), then googled and researched 502 gateway errors on my own.  Apparently it can be due to server configurations of nginx that might be too strict, too loose, too something, I dunno, but also due to PHP freaking out as well.  From what I read though there were ways to log these problems for further troubleshooting but 90% of the terminology was way over my head.  You know, the whole point of using a host like ZippyKid was that I would be spared the aggravation of having to sift through cryptic details about server configurations and PHP and segfaults and whatnot so I could just BLOG.

Nope.  That peace of mind has become as elusive to me as finding a hot girl who doesn’t spit on me when I ask her out.

Zippykid is small company and I’m sure they mean well, but to let a problem like this fester for over a week to the point that I become so enraged that I write this post/review bashing them to death is not good for business.  I expected better and am sorely disappointed that specialized WordPress-only hosting so far is not what I hoped it would be.

So now the hunt for yet another new host begins, although I’m reaching the point where I am just about ready to say %$#@ it and use Tumblr (or maybe Squarespace.)  I am getting too old for this @#$%.

Comments { 8 }

An Otterbox Slideout Solution Case for the iPhone 4

Written by on June 14, 2011
Filed Under Travel Tips

Note: Otterbox sent me a complimentary Reflex case in exchange for this review.

One of the downsides to having a beefy case to protect your iPhone is that it can be a real pain trying to dock it to an accessory, the most problematic being speaker docks. I’ve been using the Otterbox Defender with a dock extender to get around this issue, but Otterbox was kind enough to send me an alternative case called The Reflex to see how that fared in comparison.

It’s not as protective as the Defender is, yet it’s still a little beefier than your run of the mill case you’d typically find for $20 or less at the local Best Buy. Before the Defender, I had purchased a Griffin case to at least give it a mild outer layer of protection. It had a plastic, cheap feel to it, and almost every time I dropped it, the case itself would split open and send my iPhone 4 flying. Ugh. Despite a good fit too, all kinds of particles and dust kept seeping in anyway, which made it virtually pointless as a protective solution.

Otterbox Reflex for iPhone 4 - with Griffin case next to it

My iPhone now protected by the Reflex. The old Griffin case can be seen in the baqckground.

With the Otterbox Reflex, it was easy as pie to snap the 2 pieces in place. Some people have been complaining about poor fits and screen bubbling, which hasn’t been my experience, BUT it’s worth noting that instead of using the included screen protector, I’m using PowerSupport’s crystal film instead. Since the film had been on my iPhone for a few months now, it was just a matter of snapping the 2 halves together. For those interested in a case like this, I would opt for a 3rd party screen protector as this isn’t Otterbox’s strong suit (which is understandable since their focus is on the quality of the case itself), and because I was using tougher film to protect the screen, I think it gave the phone just enough padding that the case feels nice and secure.

I have a feeling now that this dual solution will do a far better job of keeping the dust out than the Griffin did. Another thing I REALLY like about the Reflex is that it has a tough, yet far smoother feel to it than the Defender does, making it a lot easier to pull in and out of my pockets.

Otterbox Reflex for iPhone 4 - with battery attached

Battery still attaches fine, no need to remove any part of the case.

Despite being designed for easy removal so users can dock their iPhones without caseless (or with only the top half on), I had no need to pull the bottom half of my case off to dock it to any of my current accessories. My battery pack could still snap on without issue, and I was able to dock it to my Logitech speakers as well. For all my intents and purposes, my dock extender was now no longer needed.

Otterbox Reflex for iPhone 4 - docked to Logitech Speakers

Was able to dock it to my speakers as well without having to remove the case.

Otterbox Reflex for iPhone 4 - bottom half removed for speakers

Removed the bottom half to dock it this time for comparison.

It also easily fits into my car dock, and since I use a recharging cable, I haven’t had a need to use a recharging dock in my car that could only fit the iPhone 4 when it’s caseless.

Otterbox Reflex for iPhone 4 - docked in the car

Still docks perfectly in the car!

Now with this new case, I no longer have to revolve my iPhone accessory purchasing around the issue of whether such an accessory can fit an encased iPhone or not. I definitely think this case is far better suited for my travel blogging, the smooth rubber texture now making it much easier to pull out of my pockets for those quick Instagram shots, along with the versatility of quickly being able to de-case my iPhone anytime I need to dock it to an accessory where a perfect case-less fit is required.

Overall, I’m pleased to see Otterbox include an alternative case like this in their already excellent line-up of protective cases for the iPhone.

Comments { 0 }

Otterbox Defender for the Verizon iPhone

Written by on March 8, 2011
Filed Under Reviews

Note: Otterbox graciously sent me a sample unit of their iPhone cases to test out for the purpose of this review.

I’ve been wanting to get solid protection for my beautiful new Verizon iPhone partly because I’m a klutz, and partly because I wanted to be able to use it for my geocaching adventures without worrying about it getting scratched up forever while I’m sneaking around an abandoned nuclear facility looking for that elusive geocache. Hence, the Otterbox Defender. :-D

I won’t bore you with details that have already been covered in other reviews of the Defender though. Instead I’ll note some of the factors that were important to me in determining whether an investment in the Otterbox Defender is worth it. Two things in particular: can you still holster it in the car while driving (such as for navigation), and can you still dock it in speakers and other accessories with a dock port? Why, YES WE CAN! Although not with a little help of course. I knew both of these were going to be issues, so I did my research ahead of time and found one of the very few car mounts that can hold something like a Defender encased iPhone: namely Arkon’s Mega Grip Holder. If you go this route, make sure it’s the MEGA GRIP you get, as the smaller grips may not fit right. Once I got my Otterbox I tested it out and with a sigh of relief it fits in just fine.

Otterbox Defense iPhone Case fit into a Arkon Mega Grip Holder

Snug and secure in an Arkon Mega Grip. The Otterbox is ready to roll.

There are times though when you may want to dock the phone either with speakers or a battery charger. For this I got CableJive’s DockStubz, which is an adapter that can extend the dock on your phone beyond the case, making it much easier to dock it to anything even with the phone encased in the bulkiest of protective cases. With these two accessories on hand it’s now possible for me to use an Otterbox Defender protected iPhone without ever needing to take it out of the case.

DockStubz adapter before being plugged in.

DockStubz adapter before being plugged in.

Otterbox Defender and battery charger

Using a Griffin battery charger, I can easily connect it with the DockStubz and then to the iPhone even with it still encased inside the Defender.

After using the case for a while there’s a few other things I’d like to note. Because the mute switch on the Verizon iPhone has been moved, it won’t appear perfectly centered when you open up the protective cover of the Otterbox case to access it. In fact it was so close for me that I thought they had given me the wrong case, but it appears this how it will consistently look on Verizon Phones. Just something you should be mindful of.

Otterbox Defender Mute Switch Location with Verizon iPhone

Note how it's not perfectly centered, although the case still fits just fine.

In addition, I found the rubbery texture makes it more difficult to easily slip in and out of pockets, and the plastic feel of the screen protector to be almost unbearable, although it did get better with use. Still, if you can’t abide by the screen protector, it IS possible to pop it out and use a third party film instead to cover and protect the screen. It will reduce the protection somewhat, but for those who cannot abide by the grainy look over the retina display, it can be an acceptable tradeoff.

Finally, I noticed the case has a tendency to creek after use. I was really surprised by this, to the point that merely picking it up causes it to creek and groan like an old woman. If this happens to you, contact Otterbox for a replacement. A good case should not creak, and due to Otterbox’s excellent reputation in customer service, you should be able to get a replacement with minimal effort.

All in all, Otterbox’s Defender line is currently the best option out there now for giving your iPhone the maximum protection possible without sacrificing functionality.

Comments { 4 }

Magellan ToughCase Review – What You Need to Know

Written by on December 27, 2010
Filed Under Reviews

Note: Magellan was kind enough to send me a complimentary ToughCase in exchange for this review.

I’ve been looking at alternatives to the GPS Cradle from Dual I currently use for my iPod for a while now, and discovered some time ago that Magellan released something similar called the ToughCase. It also boasts an extra battery and a GPS chip just like the Dual Cradle, but with a more durable container that can not only withstand a considerable amount of abuse, but is also waterproof as well, making it ideal for more rugged outdoor activities.

Magellan ToughCase and Accessories

Yay, another GPS solution for my iPod! Maybe...

I could tell right away that it was definitely far beefier and heavier than the Dual Cradle, which no longer makes it possible to simply slip the iPod inside my pockets like I usually do. Instead, a clip is included so you can attach the ToughCase to your belt or backpack.

Shell for the iPod Touch to use on Magellan ToughCase

A protective shell is included to put on the iPod before inserting it into the ToughCase.

The ToughCase will ONLY work with earlier generations of the iPhone and iPod Touch. The current iPhone 4 will not fit inside the case, and neither will the current iPod (with built in camera.) I’ve also noticed that unlike the Dual Cradle, there’s no option to only use the GPS chip. You will have to use BOTH the GPS and battery, so the ToughCase’s power drains a lot faster than I’d normally like. There’s an idle mode to extend the battery life when you’re not actively using it, or you can shut it off altogether by opening up the case and switching off the master on/off button. One upside over the Dual Cradle is that you can plug it into a simple USB cable and it will charge both the iPod and ToughCase, although the charge time will be longer for obvious reasons.

The ToughCase does not have a car dock either, but I found a universal car dock I’ve been using with great success called the SoundGate M2. I attached a tiny clip included with the SoundGate kit to the back of the ToughCase and voila! My ToughCase is now officially car-docked.

Magellan ToughCase attached to car dock

Ready to roll!

To complete the ensemble I needed to hook up two cables: a USB cable to power and keep the ToughCase charged, which I then connected to a Scosche reVIVE II USB Car Charger. The car charger is powerful to charge an iPad, so it had no problem keeping the ToughCase fully charged as well. I also needed to hook up the ToughCase to the radio using my Monster RadioPlay FM Transmitter. Once I had everything set up, the ToughCase could now stay charged as well as deliver sound to my car stereo.

The setup though was far more cumbersome than my Dual Cradle, which already comes with a car dock. I could easily slide my cradle in and out of the dock without unhooking any wires whenever I needed to grab my iPod for geocaching or other uses, whereas with the ToughCase I had to manually unhook the wires to disconnect the ToughCase and take it with me. I also found the mic to be underpowered as well, forcing me to crank up the radio volume to the point where I could hear excessive static. The only way I could really avoid this now is if my car had an auxiliary input so I could bypass the need for an FM transmitter. Ah well.

Now for the acid test: I turned on the GPS and after a moment the ToughCase locked onto my location. I decided to pick a nearby geocache to drive to, so I keyed in the coordinates in Navigon and I was off. I drove several miles without any issues until I arrived close enough to the geocache that I could get out and walk the rest of the way. That’s when I noticed a VERY significant problem.

The ToughCase does not update your location when you’re at walking speed. I was maybe 300 feet away from the geocache and yet I walked several blocks without an update. Perplexed, I thought maybe there was a software issue, so I pulled out my iPod and inserted it into the Dual Cradle I brought with me for comparison. Nope, my GPS instantly updated and kept updating without issue. I slid out the iPod again and inserted it back into the ToughCase. Once again the GPS stopped updating. I did a running sprint to see if that forced an update, but to no avail. I also tried using different apps, from Geosphere, to the official geocaching app from Groundspeak, to just plain old Google Maps. None of them would update my location while I walked around. Only when I shut down the app and open it up again does the ToughCase finally update to my most current location. I also noticed that it will start updating again, but only if I move at a fast enough speed, such as when I’m in my car, or when I’m boating or biking. Anything slower and the ToughCase will not actively update your GPS location.

I don’t know if this was an issue introduced with the last iOS update from Apple or if it’s a design flaw (I’m thinking it’s the latter) but the bottom line is that geocaching is virtually impossible to do as a result, along with any kind of navigation that involves merely walking or even hiking. Under these circumstances you would have to constantly shut down and re-open whatever app you’re using to force a GPS update. Oddly enough, the Magellan ToughCase is specifically billed for outdoor use, and yet according to one ToughCase owner who left a comment about my Dual GPS Cradle review, Magellan had responded to his inquiry about this issue by stating that they never tested the ToughCase for geocaching or even outdoor activities, despite its previous advertisements to the contrary.

As a durable case to protect your iPod/iPhone during outdoor activities it works as intended, but as a GPS receiver with an unacceptably short battery life, not so much. For a pricey $180, I expected better quality than this. Worse still, the ToughCase is being advertised at GroundSpeak as a geocaching tool even though it clearly fails as one.

All in all, I can’t recommend the ToughCase if your primary objective is to give your iPod Touch GPS functionality, at least until they address its failure to continuously update your location whether you’re standing still or moving. It seems the design went more into providing a durable case to protect it from the elements, while the GPS/additional battery function was just something they tossed in as an afterthought. Still, $180 is far too pricey for what’s really little more than a glorified waterproof case, especially a case that’s not even designed to fit the latest iPod/iPhone models.

It’s a shame, but I am hoping Magellan will take a lesson from Dual and release an improved ToughCase with better GPS functionality and compatibility with today’s iPod/iPhones. We’ll see!

Update: Magellan has since upgraded the firmware of their ToughCase to improve GPS sensitivity. Here are the details:

For those of you who have had trouble using the Magellan ToughCase GPS for Geocaching, we are happy to report that a new GPS firmware will be made available by Magellan to significantly improve the sensitivity and the accuracy for pedestrian use. This is a firmware update that has to be performed at the factory. So, what this means for you is you will be getting a brand new ToughCase with the updated firmware pre-loaded.

To proceed with a product return, please follow these simple steps:

  • Contact Magellan Support
  • Hours: Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST/PDT Telephone: 1 800 707 9971
  • Obtain a RMA number
  • Return your ToughCase to the address provided (Magellan will pay for the shipping)

Magellan will replace your unit with a firmware updated device. They expect to fulfill the replacement orders starting the end of February. We encourage you to contact Magellan now to begin the process.

Please feel free to share this information with anyone else who has been affected by this issue.

Comments { 2 }

Staying at Nordic Village Resort (A Review)

Written by on December 23, 2010
Filed Under Reviews

With all the lodging options available in the White Mountain region of New Hampshire, it was really tough to decide where to stay. I wanted a roomy place with a fireplace and a jacuzzi, but I was also curious about the bed and breakfast inns here, especially considering they were immensely popular in this part of the state. I don’t think I’m ready to stay at a B&B though, so I opted instead to stay at a condo at the Nordic Village Resort. I picked a one bedroom condo that boasted everything that I was looking for: gas fireplace, 2 person jacuzzi and a spectacular view of the mountains.

The resort is divided up by various buildings under different names, all located on basically one paved road that takes you up a hill before eventually looping back down again. My condo was part of the Zurich building and was located in what’s called the Nordic Highlands, close to the top but not quite (the chateaus are located at the very top.) Some previous guests had mentioned that these hills could be too steep to climb during the winter, but I hardly had any issues in my Santa Fe. I think as long as any car has front wheel drive you won’t have an issue, even in a major snow storm. Besides, the hills here are mere bumps in the road compared to the Tennessee roads I drove deep in the Smoky Mountains.

Nordic Village Resort Bridge and Pond

Decorated for Christmas!

The condo was nice and clean, but at the same time also showed signs of wear and tear. I think without renovations it will only be a matter of time before things start to get unacceptably shabby. My jacuzzi was probably the biggest disappointment, with only two basic jets and was really more of a glorified bathtub than a luxurious whirlpool. There were no seating positions either and no easy way to lie down to have the jets massage your sore places without twisting yourself around the tub in awkward ways. I might have been spoiled by the jacuzzis at the log cabins of Tennessee though, but still, I expected better.

The bathroom sink was absurdly small, offering virtually no room for me to place my toiletries, and there was no medicine cabinet either. Odd for what was otherwise a full fledged condo. The bedroom was spacious enough and included a king sized bed, although a wooden board had been placed in between the mattresses for support, probably in an effort to get more mileage out of them before they were so badly sunken that they HAD to be replaced.

Bathroom Sink at Nordic Village Resort

Dude, seriously, not even room for my toothbrush?

The kitchen was clean and roomy, offering everything I could need for food and storing staples, even including coffee filters in one of the cabinets. The living room was also spacious, although the furniture could use an upgrade. The easy chair had no foot rest either, so I had to rearrange the furniture around so I could put up my legs on the coffee table (using a pillow for support.) I ended up moving the chair and the table itself closer to the gas fireplace so I could enjoy it more. The fireplace was controlled by a thermostat, so once the room reaches the set temperature it automatically shuts off. I found it kept shutting off though just when I was starting to settle in and enjoy my cup of hot cocoa, but I discovered a trick to prevent that: the condo also has an A/C unit, so I would set that to 68 degrees while setting the fireplace thermostat to 70. Doing so finally stopped the constant shutoff of the fireplace. Ain’t I a shmartie? :-D

Living room of condo at Nordic Village Resort

Roomy, but the furniture, ewww the furniture...

The blinds in the living room were also apparently twisted and bent over time that they never closed properly. I did the best I could to close them when needed but they still looked horrible. Fortunately my window here was facing the back towards the mountains instead of the parking lot, so there was no dire need for privacy. Still, something else they definitely need to fix.

Blinds in condo at Nordic Village Resort

Oh noes, the deers can see my boom booms!

I found it quiet during my stay despite all the units apparently being occupied, although occasionally there would be this rancid smell I couldn’t quite place when I walked up the stairs towards my condo. Weird.

View of mountains from Nordic Village Condo

A view of the mountains from my window.

I think ultimately the furniture, the jacuzzi and the WiFi were the biggest disappointment. For Internet use, I had to either park the MacBook on my lap in the living room, or sit on a wooden chair in the dining room, neither of which were particularly comfortable. As spacious as the condo was, I would have expected there to be an office desk I could use for writing as well, but it was not to be. I had a solid enough connection right by the fireplace, but it would completely turn to crap anywhere else, including the couch and the dining room. The resort does have wired Internet access as an alternative, but I used my cell phone instead for those times when the WiFi dropped like a truckload of bricks.

All in all, I probably won’t stay here again, although the resort did help me realize what creature comforts I needed that would really help me unwind in a new setting. Namely, a comfy easy chair with a foot rest, an office desk with an equally comfy office chair to use my MacBook on, and a more modern jacuzzi that had more than two weenie jets to massage my aching muscles.

Koko and Husky at the fireplace

Koko and Husky share a moment together by the fireplace.

Comments { 4 }
Older posts