欧州自転車レース追っかけ日記

Pixel 7 accessories
1. MagSafe function soft case from TIANNIUKE

It is called Magnetic Mobile Phone Case. I thought I bought a "black" case but the one I got was a translucent back with black rim model. It could be the clear model. I can see the back of my Pixel 7 (snow) so through this translucent (frosted) back, I can recognize the white tint of the back of the phone. Anyway, I don't care if it is the clear version or not since it works. The Anker MagSafe charger sticks to it solidly and charges the phone.

I am going to stick a piece of metal on the back of the charger so that I can secure the charger (and my Pixel 7) on a magnet stand (holder) with a suction cup. This way I can securely attach the phone while being charged on any magnet holders.

Pixel 7 (and 6) owners report severe battery drain ...
It caught my attentions as (apparently) it affected me as a Pixel 7 owner.

This kind of reports are flying now. After the recent update from Google, many owners are complaining about some issues with their phones.

1. Battery drain (battery charge is draining faster than before?)
2. Overheating of the battery while being recharged (while others are saying it has been remedied after the update)

The conflicting complaints (issue No.2) seem to me that they could be a phantom symptom. Even the issue No.1 could be a phantom. I don't know if they are valid claims as I installed all the updates for the last 8 months (since the launch) in a single session. I welcome the next updates if they are going to improve the functionality or security of my Pixel 7.

For me, who has never used a wireless charging smartphone before, it was a kind of shock to see or feel how the phone got hot while being charged wirelessly. The Apple MagSafe compatible (Anker) charger got really hot (maybe it was within expected normal operating temperatures). Soon after this shocking experience, I thought of getting a MagSafe charger with a cooling fan. There are such MagSafe chargers on the market.

I decided not to as they were expensive. I could buy a notebook PC cooler for my old Compaq Presario CQ56 notebook PCs for almost the same price or even cheaper. I can use it for my hot CQ56 and for my MagSafe charger to cool them whereas a MagSafe charger with a cooling fan can only cool itself. I was needing such a device for my hot CQ56 PCs. The one that I am considering buying has two fans with a USB port power supply cable.

続きをどうぞ [Pixel 7 and its accessories]の続きを読む

テーマ:Android - ジャンル:携帯電話・PHS

1. 2023/06/27(火) 22:02:59|
2. Android devices
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Google Pixel 7 first week

I bought it in June, 2023. I think the Pixel 7 models (7 and 7 Pro) were released at the end of 2023.

I Google searched it and found out that they were unveiled on October 6 and subsequently released on October 13, 2022.

They were originally released with Android 13 operating system. They (and I am) are expecting an OS upgrade in 2023, the Android 14 and two more upgrades in the future.

They (or my personal Pixel 7 is) are expecting almost monthly security updates for the next 5 years from the release date. I got it after 8 months after its release so I knew I had a lot to catch up. After my initial updates (transferring the personal data from the old android smartphone, BV8800), I let it update itself with a shower of update packets. As expected, it (my snow Pixel 7) began to download big files.

I wrote the file size and subsequent update level (dates) down while it was updating itself. I had to occasionally push the button (touch the indicated button on the screen) to allow my Pixel 7 to initiate the downloading or restart itself. When I had time to glance at the updating screen, I tried to jot the information on the screen down. So as far as I could see, it had these following updates.

1. 471 MB (December 5, 2022)
2. 460 MB
3. 55.58 MB
4. 27.77 MB (May 5, 2023)
5. 456 MB (June 5, 2023)

Now my Pixel 7 claims that it has been updated to the latest level.

続きをどうぞ [Pixel 7]の続きを読む

テーマ:Android - ジャンル:携帯電話・PHS

1. 2023/06/25(日) 14:41:21|
2. Diary
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"Fcitx 5 Mozc for Fcitx 5" was the key

I have been wondering quite for a while if I was right about installing mozc through Muon or other (I forgot the name but predecessors of Muon).

IBUS was (or used to be) the choice of running INPUT methods under Linux.

I noticed a while ago that this Discover (or its predecessors?) had Fcitx in place of IBUS. I did not looked into it as I was used to installing mozc in ancient method I had been used to.

I was aware that current Discover (kind of software center) for Lubuntu 23.04 Lunar Lobster did show "Fcitx 5 Mozc for Fcitx" software package.

I was curious and I had to install it. When I had the chance to do it, I did it. The result was a bit surprising and at the same time pleasing.

It seems that mozc for IBUS was a thing of the past and I imagine current Japanese input method development has been around "Fcitx" but not IBUS.

It has been tweaked so that it meets the need of Japanese speaking (and writing) people.

For example (the only or almost the only thing I hated with mozc for IBUS), it is possible to change the default input mode when one evokes mozc to "Hiragana" mode. With mozc for IBUS, it was not possible.

Now I like Fcitx and I will change other Lubuntu's desktop to use Fcitx instead of IBUS.

続きをどうぞ [Drawing a line in the sand and Mozc for Fcitx 5]の続きを読む

テーマ:Linux - ジャンル:コンピュータ

1. 2023/06/20(火) 21:40:48|
2. Linux
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Google Pixel 7 ordered
After a brief consideration (a couple of days), I decided and then ordered a Google Pixel 7 (snow) from Amazon Germany. It is expected to be delivered next week (Today is Saturday, June 17, 2023). I could choose the blackish color one for the same price and the lemongreen color one was a tad expensive than others.

I am expecting it (the Amazon order status tells me) on Wednesday, 22nd.

It cost me around 540 Euros. The other candidate, the Google Pixel 7a, cost me around 510 Euros. The price difference was only around 30 Euros.

Why have I chosen 7 not 7a? Simply because they were priced similarly and the 7 had better material (glass) and better IP quality (against water). Some sites I read said that the camera on 7a worked better on some functions. I didn't know if I would see the difference in the camera quality. That was why I decided to get tougher 7 over 7a.

I purchased two accessories at the same time. 1. a protection case (dark color) with an interesting functionality and 2. a MagSafe (compatible) wireless charger from Anker.

Why MagSafe? It is not an iPhone that I bought. The protection case I chose has a metal ring implanted in the back so that it sticks to magnet making it work like an iPhone with a MagSafe charger. A neat idea! Naturally, this required a MagSafe charger purchase.

It (the case) also makes it possible for the Pixel 7 to use other MagSafe accessories like a battery back or something.

They cost me but I will be relieved from the pain in the neck (or ass) that I felt (not physically but mentally) to get really frustrated when the phone refused to be charged or connected to the Lubuntu notebook PCs to get some files exchanged.


My former experience with a Google smartphone

I do have some experience with a Google smartphone. It was around 2017 or so when I got a "B-ware" LG Nexus 5. It was something like some customer bought it and then returned it for some reasons. It was not new but almost new and was cheaper.

It lasted for about 2 years (or 1 year and a bit) before it broke. I did not know that this LG product was a low quality trash when I bought it but became aware that it was when it broke. It (the symptom) was well documented on the Internet. I was frustrated when it broke after such a short time of use. F**k LG products! This is not my personal voice but I strongly believe other people's voice and Google's.

Google soon severed the tie with LG and eventually began making their own smartphones by acquiring (I believe) HTC. Good move!

On the other hand, I was impressed to see Google supporting it with the OS upgrades and monthly security updates over such a long period. I was happy with it (software support).

So this time I am back to the Google smartphone.

続きをどうぞ [A new smartphone is coming]の続きを読む

テーマ:Android - ジャンル:携帯電話・PHS

1. 2023/06/18(日) 16:51:29|
2. Diary
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Google Pixel 7?

I am thinking about getting a Google Pixel 7 now. Not Google Pixel 7a? Some one might ask.

Yes, I am thinking about getting 7.

My current portable phone has an issue. The USB-C port does not work well. It is physically bit disturbed.

When a normal USB-C cable is inserted, it does not recognize it. I have to wiggle and push hard and put it slightly aslant to make it work (charge and transfer files). It is not stable at all. I am always using a bad of rubber attached to the cable to make the connection stable without much success. A slight disturbance will break the connection.

I am sick of it. I want to a stable connection.

So naturally, I thought of "wireless charging" instead of wired charing to avoid the future or occasional USB-C port connection failure.

I am also buying, if I did buy a Google Pixel 7, a case that makes Pixel 7 use Apple MagSafe charger. Basically a case that has metal ring implanted in the back of the base.

Compaq Presario CQ56 Intel Pentium T4500 cleaning

It has been in my possession for a while and I did what had to be done by now. Opening up this PC and get rid of the fluffy fibrous dust inside the cooling fan and on the radiator fins.

By now I am very confident and am able to disassemble it without any hesitation.

The amount of fibrous dust was by far smaller than that of what I found inside its AMD brothers.

After reassembly, I ran it and saw if it ran any cooler than before. It did. When I was viewing some YouTube videos with Firefox, the CPU temperature used to rise as high as 66 degrees Celsius.

Now after cleaning, it runs as low as 60 degrees Celsius under a similar CPU load.


It arrived
It arrrived without any tracking updates but with a special notice.

I found this slip from the post office on behalf of customs telling me that I owed them some money. Not a very happy thing to know. How have I incurred this sum (around 20 Euro)? From the recent purchases on ebay?

I think (thought) I have paid through ebay system all the due import charges.

Wondering why and how, I went to the post office and gave the slip. As the man, at the counter, rose to get something, I had another idea why I owed some money. I had an incoming package from the USA with extra charges. How mean of them (customs)!

I knew that I had paid so-called import charges though ebay system (for this) but sometimes the customs officals charged some extra fees as handling fees to deter or discourage poeple from buying stuff from outside the EU.

How mean of them!

I quietly paid it and received what I was legally entitled to get.

It was the Streamlight Stinger with the serial number as low as 002610. As expected it had etched letters on the bottom cap like Made in USA or Norristown PA but it also had something I did not expect, "PATENT PEND".

At the time of initial release (1994) of the Stinger the patent that Streamlight was applying had not been granted.

After coming home with it, I put the new battery in it and switched it on. It worked.

After one day receiving the Stinger, the tracking number issued for it has still unchanged. It has not changed since it was issued.

They arrived
They came. I had one notice slip from the post office one day and I went to the local post office. I was expecting to get the used LCD panel for my Compaq Presario CQ56 notebook PC. I got two packages instead of one.

They were 1. the used LCD panel 2. the used underside covers, HDD caddy and HDD cable set.

Now I can repair the broken Compaq Presario CQ56.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [I want a Pixel 7]の続きを読む

テーマ:ひとりごとのようなもの - ジャンル:日記

1. 2023/06/17(土) 10:13:15|
2. Diary
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It arrived

The ebay purchase, Compaq Presario CQ56 Intel Pentium T4500, arrived around noon of June 2nd, 2023. The bell rang in my room and I answered it by opening the door to see a man with the package.

I opened the package. There was a notebook PC that I saw on ebay. It was missing the HDD (and its caddy along with three screws) and the cover sealing the HDD compartment.

I borrowed the HDD from my AMD machine and booted the Intel machine with the power adapter of my own as this purchase did not include the power adapter.

It booted almost perfectly. The IBUS (mozc) icon on the menu bar got somehow tiny. On the second boot, it became alright, though.

I found the Pentium T4500 ran generally cooler than those AMD counterparts.

I have some screenshot images to show my points.

(Image one: T4500 cruising idly)


(Image two: T4500 with VLC decoding an H264 movie file - moderate CPU load)


(Image three: T4500 with VLC decoding an H265 movie file - relatively heavy CPU load)

I tried to install the memory modules from the AMD machine but they did not go in. The shapes were different. Later I checked the maintenance manual and learned that the Intel machines used DDR2 1066 MHz modules and AMD machines used DDR3 1333 MHz modules. I want to have 8 GB of RAM in it or at least 4 GB.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [It arrived and some surprise]の続きを読む

テーマ:ノートPC - ジャンル:コンピュータ

1. 2023/06/04(日) 11:16:25|
2. PCs
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