Etsy

We just opened a shop on Etsy... https://www.etsy.com/shop/PourmandGallery

8 reasons why I prefer the "Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 inch" over the "Asus Google Nexus 7"

I recently switched from using the first generation Asus Google Nexus 7 to a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 (8" tablet). I used both extensively but ultimately I decided to keep the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0. Keep reading to see EIGHT reasons why I chose the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 vs the Nexus 7....

1. Larger Screen -  For me the 8 inch tablet is the ideal size. It's large enough to enjoy using apps and surfing the web, while small enough to comfortably fit in one hand. While the one inch increase over the Nexus 7 may not seem like much, it makes a difference. When going back and forth between the two tablets I couldn't help but notice that everything seemed easier to read and apps were easier to use on the 8 inch screen of the Galaxy Tab 3 compared to the 7 inch screen of the Nexus 7.
2. Thinner and Lighter - Despite having a larger screen, the Galaxy Tab is both a tad lighter and significantly thinner than the Nexus 7, making it more comfortable to hold in your hands.
3. Better Speaker Placement - The Tab 3 has dual speakers at the bottom of the device (similar to an iPhone), while the Nexus 7 has the speakers on the back. To me placing the speakers on the bottom is a much better design because when the tablet is placed on a table or desk the sounds from the speakers aren't muffled and muted. I often found myself repeatedly flipping the Nexus 7 over so the speakers wouldn't be blocked.
4. Physical Buttons on the Front- Having physical buttons on the front of the Galaxy Tab makes starting the device much easier and gives you more usable screen space. I found that every time I wanted to use the Nexus 7 I was always hunting for the grain of rice sized power button on the side. Part of the problem is the angled sides of the Nexus 7, which make finding the diminutive power button a bit of an Easter egg hunt, especially if it's laying flat on a desk. With the Galaxy Tab 3 however, I never have to search for a tiny button on the side. The button is right there, front and center. And once the tablet is on, you don't lose the bottom of your screen to an ugly black bar of software buttons like you do on the Nexus 7. The software buttons on the Nexus 7 become especially frustrating in landscape mode, because you end up with a long black stripe running across the entire length your screen that is mostly wasted space. 
5. Comparable Performance - Many have dismissed the Galaxy Tab 3 because it's lack of a quad core processor which can be found in the Nexus 7. But in my everyday use of the device for things such as reading the news, checking email, listening to music, and using apps, the dual core processor performed admirably. Granted I wasn't using the tablet for any 3D games which require more processing power, but for my basic needs the Galaxy Tab 3 was definitely adequate.
6. Better Aesthetics - Now this is definitely a matter of personal preference but to me the Galaxy Tab flat out just looks better. The appearance of the Nexus 7 is that of monolithic black slab lacking in any design cues or style. And the Nexus 7 has a huuuge bezel surrounding the screen making it look dated. The Galaxy Tab in contrast has a choice of colors (white and brown) and offers stylish design elements such as a faux metallic band around the edges. The Galaxy Tab is also thinner and has a much narrower bezel, both of which I think give it a more modern and sleek look. 
7. Proper USB Port Orientation - This is probably a minor quibble but I was always a bit perturbed by upside down placement of the micro-USB port on the Nexus 7. It's something that you have to train yourself to remember before plugging in your Nexus 7 each time.
8. Samsung Smart Stay Feature - I consider most of the software features that Samsung offers to be superfluous; and there are a plethora of third party apps that can do things better. The one exception is the Smart Stay feature. The Galaxy Tab uses the front facing camera to detect your eyes. If it senses your are looking at the screen then the screen will remain lit (over riding the auto-shutoff feature that most people use to conserve battery life). I found this helpful when reading long articles with small fonts where I wouldn't scroll often. Or perhaps the problem is that I'm a slow reader.... Regardless, I found the feature useful in keeping the screen lit while reading.

Now I can't say that I loved everything about the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0. Here are a few drawbacks...

1. Physical Buttons - Wait a minute, I thought having physical buttons was an advantage over the Nexus 7 (see number 4 above)? What happened? Well having physical buttons makes turning your tablet on significantly easier, and it gives you back precious screen real estate that you would otherwise lose to soft keys. This is all true, but the physical buttons do have two drawbacks. First you lose the elegant finger swipe access to Google Now of the Nexus 7. To access Google Now on the Galaxy Tab 3 you are forced to double click or long hold the home button, neither of which are as pleasing or efficient. Second, the Galaxy Tab doesn't have a dedicated button for switching apps. On the Nexus 7 you can quickly jump back and forth between apps, but not on the Galaxy Tab.
2. Lower Pixel density - The Nexus 7 has a slightly higher screen pixel density compared to the Galaxy Tab (216 ppi vs 189 ppi respectively). This is because the Nexus 7 has a smaller screen size (in fact both tablets actually have the same resolution, 1280x800). But for me the benefit of the added screen real estate on the Galaxy Tab 3 outweighs the benefit of the higher pixel density of the Nexus 7. I felt the images on the Nexus 7 were a bit sharper, but not enough to really make a difference. 

Lyft prices in Los Angeles

ever wonder how much it costs to use Lyft in Los Angeles? Go here to find out... http://pedrampourmand.webs.com/lyft-rates-los-angeles

What happens if you don't have ID at the airport? Will TSA let you pass through security? Can you fly?

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you lost your wallet or purse while on vacation? Would TSA let you through security with no identification? or will you miss your flight?

Well if your flight is domestic the answer is YES, TSA will let you through security without ID. However, you will be required to step out of line and spend a few minutes answering questions. Once you explain to the TSA agent that you don't have any ID they will ask you to go with them to make a phone call. At that point the TSA agent will call a central office where they have operators with access to a comprehensive database with all of your personal information. The operator will then ask a series of personal questions to ascertain if you are who you say you are. The TSA agent talks to the operator on your behalf and relays the questions to you from the operator. It's a pretty cumbersome process because everything has to be repeated twice. Here are some of the questions they ask:
What is your name?
Where do you live?
How long have you lived there?
What is your phone number?
Can you provide a name of a relative?
What is your relationship to this relative?
What is the date of birth of this relative?

If you don't have an ID and you are traveling domestically you will want to give yourself an extra 30 minutes to accommodate this delay.


International flights on the other hand require a passport. If you don't have one you will need to visit your local consulate before going to the airport. This is why it's helpful to carry a photocopy of your passport when you travel.

Uber X rates vs taxi fare Los Angeles; Is Uber cheaper than taking a taxi?

So are Uber X rates cheaper than taking a taxi in Los Angeles. To help facilitate a comparison I created the following table....

	Uber X Rates	LA Taxi Rates
Pick-up (aka flag drop)	$3.00	$2.85
Per Mile Driving	$2.55	$2.70
Per Minute Waiting	$0.50	$0.49

It appears that the overall Uber X fare would be slightly cheaper than taking a taxi because of the 15 cent difference between the per mile rates.

Sources:
Uber Rates: https://www.uber.com/cities/los-angeles
Los Angeles Taxi Rates: http://www.taxicabsla.org/ (click on Rates)

Equinox Monthly Membership Rates Downtown Los Angeles

Membership Rates for the Downtown Los Angeles location at 444 FLOWER ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90071

are click here to find out....
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Current rates are $150/month with $175 initiation for a one year contract. From what I can tell they are holding firm on that price. Several of my friends have tried negotiating with no results. During the holidays they offered a promotion to waive the initiation fee.

Before the gym opened they offered a special promotion of $135 a month with no initiation but unfortunately that offer is no longer being offered.

Rooting my phone

This past weekend I decided to "root" my Android smartphone. Let me start by first saying I had no idea what I was getting myself into. In hindsight was the juice worth the squeeze? Or to phrase it a bit differently, would I do it again? Probably yes; but the whole process was much more time consuming, and at times frustrating, than I had anticipated (mainly because I had no idea what I was doing).

So what is rooting a phone? Well rooting your phone is literally gaining write access to the root directory of your phone.

So what does that mean? And why would you want to do it? Well the best analogy to use is that of a traditional PC. Your smartphone is basically a mini, portable, PC. And just like your PC it has an operating system. In this case, instead of using Windows from Microsoft, it uses Android which is distributed by Google (for free by the way). Now, do you remember the last time you bought a new PC? When it was shiny and new everything ran smoothly and your programs were responsive (hopefully). Then after a few years of use things started to get bogged down. Your PC accumulated additional software, the hard drive became fragmented, you unwittingly picked up some spyware, among other maladies. Soon you would click on a web-link, go get a cup of coffee, and the webpage you requested was still loading when you returned. Well, the same thing happens to Android smartphones. Android, as distributed by Google, is a reasonably efficient and responsive operating system. However, when you typically buy a smartphone from a major carrier (Verizon, AT&T, etc.) you're actually not getting the original Android operating system. What you get is a bastardized version that has been modified by both the cel phone manufacturer (Samsung, Motorola, etc.) and your carrier. The result is a bloated, inefficient operating system that is reminiscent of that two year old PC. And hence the beauty of rooting your phone. With root access you can now go and freely change your operating system ostensibly removing the layers bloat added by your phone manufacturer and provider.

Which leads me back to my smartphone, a Motorola RAZR HD from Verizon. It's a good phone but from day one it was a bit laggy/unresponsive and I always found that annoying. So, I thought to myself why don't I just root my phone and remove the layers of bloatware applied by Motorola and Verizon. So I did a Google search and found some Youtube videos that walk you through the process. To make a long story short, what should have taken thirty minutes took me over 6 hours over a period of three days. And that was with more than a few frustrating moments. For a period the GPS ceased to operate. At another point my phone was bricked, as in it wouldn't even turn on. I'm pleased to say that everything turned out OK. My phone is now rooted and working properly. It's moderately faster than the stock version which is good. And I now have access to useful apps that only work on phones that are rooted. But probably the biggest benefit of this whole endeavor is that I know how to root an Android phone which I will be doing on my next phone.