So wow, much social

Apparently the recent Samsung update comes with a pre-installed Line app, because suddenly there’s one on my phone that I can’t get rid of. I also can’t use it, somehow: tapping the icon just brings up Line’s Google Play page, and tapping “Open” on that page brings up…nothing. There were no post-update error messages, so I’m just gonna go ahead and assume that Samsung installed this empty shell of an app just to fuck with me.

This has been “Good Times with Tech” with your usual grumping. You may now resume your glitch-free lives.

Talk to Globe! Or…not.

I tried to e-mail Globe about their website today. The telecom’s sucky customer service is legendary, but I thought: hey, it’s site feedback! They’ll be glad I took the time to comment. I got this canned response:

Dear Valued Subscriber, Your feedback is important to us. To serve you better, please do one of the following: For new inquiries, kindly fill out our online form or you may copy and paste this URL to your Internet Browser . . .

My feedback consisted of four measly sentences that took less than a minute to write. It seemed like overkill to chat about it with a customer service rep, but also too much effort to transact via text. I decided to attempt contact via the online form instead. Should be easy enough, right?

Personal verdict: Windows 8 start screen still irrelevant outside of touchscreen devices

I gave it a chance, I really did. But a month of using Windows 8 on my laptop only confirmed my initial hypothesis: if your primary input consists of the mouse-keyboard combo, the new start screen won’t do much for you. A keystroke launcher that builds on your own summoning patterns — such as Launchy — still trumps any painstakingly zoned city of tiles, whatever the eye candy.

See, when I open my laptop, it’s not like I pause to survey my available applications, looking for something to do. Often, I already know what I’m going to do, and the fastest way to go about it is to 1) hit ALT + Spacebar, 2) let Launchy autocomplete my request based on what I’ve pulled up in the past, and 3) launch the program. It takes seconds. Launchy is amazing like that: it integrates itself to whatever you’re already doing, performs that one essential thing really well, and doesn’t get in the way. The Windows 8 start screen? Not so much.

“When was the last time someone told you they were proud of you?”

I read today’s Daily Prompt in my imaginary therapist voice, to which my imaginary patient huffed and said, “Well, that’s a bit personal, isn’t it?” Rather touchy, that one. They haven’t made a lot of progress, perhaps because I made them up in my head just now. The therapist’s name is Violet, her patient’s is Mina, and later on they will form an unlikely bond —

(And thus, without entirely meaning to, I’ve managed to derail an opportunity for introspection. I should repent, but really, this — and reading other people’s responses — is much more fun.)

Automattic, please don’t fuck this up

Simplenote, my note-taking tool of choice,has just been acquired by Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com.This can make any user nervous, but the makers of Simplenote are quick to offer reassurance:

Simplenote is in good hands. Our new family, now over 140 people strong and distributed around the world, lives and breathes all things internet. They get this stuff.