Taco Bell sets the bar high

Taco Bell is my favorite fast food restaurant. I tried the new Grillers, and was impressed by all three. These three Grillers are appetizer themed, 99 cent deliciousness. All three were simple to eat, and were just ingredients put into a tortilla shell and cooked. The first thing you will notice is how big they are for the price. Two of these would probably fill an average person up, and less than a dollar each, these are a great option. I will review each in my order of preference.

Spicy Buffalo Chicken, Beefy Nacho, and Loaded Potato Grillers.

• Beefy Nacho Griller - My favorite option was based on Nachos. This was ground beef, melted nacho cheese, and those crunchy red strips that Taco Bell uses in lots of menu items. The thing that made me like this the best was the lack of sour cream. I don't like sour cream. The rest was just nachos in a shell, but the crunchy strips made it better.
• Loaded Potato Griller - This was the second best in my opinion. This one has small potato pieces, bacon, melted nacho cheese, and sour cream. If this didn't have sour cream, it would have been my favorite, and from now on I will order it without sour cream. Bacon and potatoes are two of my favorite foods, so this one was incredible. Taco Bell makes great food with potatoes  and this one is not different. Bacon.
• Spicy Buffalo Chicken Griller - This was last on my list, but still a great option. This one has grilled chicken, "lava" sauce, and sour cream. The lava sauce was good, but not as spicy as I was expecting. The sour cream made this drop to the bottom of my list, and the one I had was heavy on the sour cream. However, it was still a little hot and the lava sauce had great flavor.

Conclusion: Buy all three of these and a Baja Blast. It's a great meal with three incredible items, and will only set you back $5. Taco Bell had a great idea with pairing appetizer items into a soft shell, and these Grillers are a great fit for my taste buds. Taco Bell claims that they are limited time only, but I hope they're lying.

Useful Chrome Extensions

Extensions can make your browser more productive, appealing, easier to use, or more distracting. There are thousands of extensions for Chrome, but I've compiled what I think are the most useful extensions. I have my extensions all allowed in incognito, which is another Chrome feature that I use often.

What my extensions page looks like.

• Adblock-This is my most recommended anything for a browser--ever. This extensions blocks all ads on almost any website. No annoying pop-up ads on a website, no more Youtube video ads before watching your video, and no more ads on the side of my blog! This extension makes your life so much better. One tip is to right click the Adblock button to hide the button, that way it doesn't clutter up your browser interface. 
• My Chrome Theme-This extensions lets you build your own theme for Chrome, and it is completely customized to your liking!
• Reddit Enhancement Suite-This is great if you use Reddit, but if you don't, then this is useless. This extension lets you use keyboard shortcuts on Reddit, and makes your Reddit experience more customized. Using this extension, you can upvote and downvote quicker than ever!
• Google Search by Image-I replaced Tineye with this extensions. Tineye and Google's Search by Image are reverse image searches. You right click on the image you'd like to search, then hit "Search Google with this image", and Google scours the web looking for more instances of that image. You can use this to find higher resolution versions of that image, or find out more info about that picture. You can also view images that Google considers similar to the original image, using their complicated algorithms. From my experience, this feature works surprisingly well.

This is my Chrome theme, with the Golden Gate Bridge as the background. 

Cinch for Mac-Quick Thoughts

So we all love the snap windows from Windows 7, but did you know you can get them on OS X as well? There is a great, small program called Cinch that has the same functionality. You drag the windows to the left or right side, and they fill the half of the screen. If you drag the window to the top, it will maximize to the entire screen, a feature that OS X surprisingly doesn't have yet.

Settings for Cinch.

Cinch snapping to the left side.

When you drag the window to a part of the screen that Cinch recognizes, it will bring up a dashed line to indicate that you can let go.

Cinch is available from Irradiated Software at http://www.irradiatedsoftware.com/cinch/
The full version costs $7, but there is an unlimited free trial. It needs OS X 10.5 or newer to run, which I assume everyone who has a Mac has by now.

Google Drive and Dropbox Comparison

Everyone has used Dropbox, and it is great. Dropbox is online storage, or cloud storage. You can sign up for an account, and they give you free storage that you can access on any computer. I loved Dropbox and used it for years, but I switched over to Google Drive when it was released, and haven't looked back. Here's why:

• More space. Drive offers 5GB where Dropbox starts at only 2GB.
• Better integration with Android and Google services. This is a given, seeing that Drive is made by Google, but Drive fits in perfect on Android, and I love that I use my Google login.
• Easier to share folders. In Drive, you can share folders with people, or just certain files in these folders. You could let them just view it, or you could allow them to edit it too.
• Google Docs. Drive has Google Docs built in, so you could open a preview immediately if using  the web app. 

This is the Web Interface for Google Drive.

Cons:

• Not available on Linux (yet).

Both Dropbox and Drive are easy to use and have great interfaces, but some prefer one over the other. I use Drive to store all of my important documents and school items, and can keep them organized very easily. Drive has applications available for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. I have the Android and Mac versions. On the Android version, I love being able to open a PowerPoint, Excel, or Word file right on my phone from the Drive app. Both Dropbox and Drive can install and run in your taskbar on Windows or Mac, and Dropbox can do the same on a Linux computer. Both fit in perfect and act like system folders on Windows and Mac.

This is the Desktop Interface for Google Drive on a Mac.

One advantage that Dropbox has is its option to earn more space. Dropbox regularly has promotions where you can gain more space easily, and for free, and you can also earn more space just for inviting a friend to join. Many people can get from 8-10 GB using a free account by doing these things.

The browser interface for Dropbox.

Prey: Anti-theft software I hope that I never have to use

Prey is FOSS (Free Open Source Software), which means that nerds should love it. I do. But that's not why I love it. Prey can keep track of your devices if they get lost or stolen, and all from a free account. If your device is lost or stolen, you can log in on your Prey account online, and track the location of your device, the last few locations it has been at (and see it on a map), the Wifi connection it is currently connected to and any Wifi connections nearby, you can see what files have been changed recently, and even take a screen shot of the device or view what the webcam can see. So pretty powerful software!

There have been multiple success stories of people having their devices stolen, trying to get help from police and the police not being able to do anything, and then going and getting their devices back themselves. They would check the map to see the actual location their device was at, check a screenshot and see the persons Facebook page or email account open, or take a webcam picture, and then go demand the device back or threaten them with some sort of action. I hope I never have to do that, but I have it installed on my Macbook Air and Nexus 7, just in case.

With a free account, you can track up to three devices, but you can only report them as stolen up to ten times. You can buy premium accounts that let you add tons of new devices, and report them many more times. Prey runs on almost any device you can think of: Linux, Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. I would recommend it on any device that is valuable to you, and that you bring outside of the house. I don't have it on any of my computers I leave at home, because they probably won't get stolen. I also don't have it on my Galaxy Nexus because the huge crack in the screen makes it not worth much to me anymore!

On my Android tablet, the Prey icon is visible in the Application drawer, however you have to have my Prey account password to open or delete the application. On my Mac, I don't even know where to find Prey, which I'd say makes it safe to assume that a thief couldn't find it either! You can even lock down your device, so that the thief can't use if for anything besides a paperweight until you enter your password. 

Check them out at: http://preyproject.com/

Gmail, and why you should use it.

I started using Gmail in 2010 when I first started college. Before then, I had no reason for email. When I came to college, I had to use Auburn's email, which is hosted by Microsoft's Hotmail. Hotmail is pretty bad, so I needed to find out a way to use a better email client. I chose Gmail after doing a little research into different webmail platfroms, and I'll tell you why.

First, Gmail let me import my Auburn email account directly into Gmail. This was a simple process. You can link multiple other email accounts to your Gmail account. It syncs up directly to my phone and tablet, both of which are centered around my Gmail login.

The process I check emails is different than many people, but it is efficient and quick. If I'm on my phone and don't have time to read the email, I'll star the email. If I don't want to read the email right then, I'll star it. Then I check my starred inbox regularly. This means I never miss an email. Below is my starred inbox, which are just two emails I'll have to get to later.

Gmail has tons of themes. I use a dark theme when available on all websites, so a grey/black theme is perfect for me. There are also many Google Labs addons you can choose. I was going to type out all the Google Lab features that I use, but then I noticed there are about 15 that I use. So Gmail has lots of customization!  If you use Google+ Hangouts or Google Talk, these integrate right onto the sidebar of Gmail. If you use an Android phone, which you should, all of your Android contacts sync right into Gmail's Contact list.

You can also setup desktop notifications for Gmail through Chrome. I have it set up on all of my computers, so that when I get an email, Chrome alerts me that I have an email. You can set up different folders for different email addresses, and send email from them as well. For example, on my Auburn email, I receive email in Gmail as rjs0015@auburn.edu, and can also send them back as rjs0015@auburn.edu. I could also choose to send them back as robertjskelton@gmail.com if I wanted to.

Gmail has a great spam filter, some would even say it is too fair. Google has even marked messages from Google as spam. For instance, I recently signed up for a searching class through Google, and the email they sent me as confirmation was sent to my spam folder.

Also, storage. Gmail gives every user tons of storage. Every Gmail user has 10 GB of free space for email, and considering that most emails are all text, that will take a while to fill up.

I hope I've convinced you to use Gmail, and will continue teaching how to sync your life around a Google account in my next few posts. My next one will be about Google Drive, and why switching from Dropbox, SkyDrive, or Box.com can be worth your while.

Google Chrome, the benefits, and a few tips.

I have three computers, a tablet (Nexus 7), and a phone (Galaxy Nexus). Both of my Android devices are on Android 4.1. Unfortunately for many, to use Chrome on Android, you have to have Android 4.0 or higher, at least at the time of writing. I use Chrome on all of these devices, and I love to be able to keep all my sign ins and bookmarks on all them synced. This is my favorite feature of Google Chrome. It's all simple to use. You sign in to Chrome, and then all of the devices you are signed in will sync your information through your Google account. You can see what tabs are open on other devices, and use your bookmarks, history, website logins, and extensions on all of the browsers. When I use a computer at my school's library, I sign in to Chrome and I have all of my information immediately. It's incredible.

Some tips on organizing Chrome that not everyone knows about.

• You don't have to name your bookmarks. Many websites have easily identifiable logos that can save you space on your bookmarks bar. When asked to name the bookmark, just leave that spot blank. You can see that in my screenshot. 
• You can pin tabs, and make them take up less space on your screen. You can see that I have Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Drive pinned. To pin a tab, right click and select "Pin Tab."
• You can view tabs on your other devices. Make a new tab (Ctrl + T, or Cmd + T on Mac) and click on "Other devices." You can then load these tabs on the device you are currently using. 
• You can make folders for your bookmarks for certain topics. I use this for tabs I want to save, but won't use often. 

Some cool keyboard shortcuts as well (Ctrl for most, Cmd for Mac):

• Ctrl + T  new tab
• Ctrl + P print dialogue
• Ctrl + D adds a bookmark for the page you are on
• Ctrl + Shift + T reopens your last tab
• Ctrl + Shift + B shows and hides your bookmarks bar
• Ctrl + Shift + N new incognito window
• Ctrl + R refresh
• Ctrl + Y history
• Ctrl + W closes your current tab
• Ctrl + F lets you enter a search term to find on the page
• Ctrl + Tab switches you to the next tab
• Ctrl + C copy
• Ctrl + V paste
• Ctrl + Z undo
• Ctrl + X cut
• Ctrl + A select all
• Ctrl + (number) switched to the tab number (number that you inserted)
• Alt + Left back
• Alt + Right forward

There are plenty more, but those are just ones that I know off the top of my head, and use regularly. These are just some tips to be more productive with this great browser.

The Awesomeness of Google Calendar

Google Calendar is incredible. If I did not use it, I would never know where to be or what to do. My favorite thing about it is how it scales. It looks and acts the same on my computers, Nexus 7 tablet, and my Galaxy Nexus phone. You can import other Calendars that people have made and posted. You can see on my screenshot that I have Auburn's football schedule, some Auburn IEEE events, and Canvas, Auburn's class and grade management system. Whenever a professor posts an assignment, it automatically shows up in my calendar. Whenever an IEEE event is added, or a football game changes times, then they are synced instantly with my calendar. These other calendars are indicated with different color events. You can also set up reoccurring events. I set up Dive, the church I attend, to reoccur every Thursday at 20:00 until December.

You can also set up a task list, which is great for goal-oriented people like me. You can add tasks by pressing enter, or clicking on the next line, and just click on the checkbox when they're complete. This is the easiest checklist that I've found to use, because it is integrated into a product I already use everyday.

Using Google Calendar makes my life much easier, and it helpful to stay organized. Many of my friends don't have any sort of calendar, paper or electronic. I don't know how they do it. That's my quick review of Google Calendar, soon there will be write-ups of some of my other favorite websites and products, including Google Reader, Gmail, and Prey.

Here is one last screenshot, using calendar on my Nexus 7.

Linux Mint with Cinnamon: Short Review

I've used probably 20 Linux distributions. ranging from Suse to Mint to Fedora to RedHat to Ubuntu and many variations of them all. I've never found one I liked as much as Mint 13 with Cinnamon. I had used Mint 12 and 11 before, and they were nice, but I'd always end up going back to my stable Ubuntu install. It was always working and perfect. Until the 12.04 upgrade, which has been pretty bad. The blame is all on Compiz, which overheats my laptop to no end. I tried using Fluxbox but it just wasn't doing the job. So I was introduced to Mint 13 with Cinnamon. Oh. My. Gosh.

This is a screenshot of my desktop. One of the few things that I changed was where the toolbar was. By default it is on the bottom, Windows-like. but I prefer it on the top. I added Chrome, a must for every computer, and messed around a little with the keyboard, power, and display settings. Mint is running so fast and stable! My computer, which was getting unbearably hot with Ubuntu, is much cooler now. Ubuntu has always advertised that it "just works." Mint "works," and works much better. It seems faster, and has all the same pros of Ubuntu. There is the aptitude package manager, which everyone loves, and the software update seems less obtrusive that the Ubuntu version. Here is what the start menu bar looks like.

Anyways, I recommend Linux Mint with Cinnamon to anyone, but especially newbies. To those hardcore users, like Slackware and Arch guys, you probably won't like it. It only takes about 30 minutes to install, and you don't have to compile anything yourself.  My wireless worked perfectly on install, which is getting more normal nowadays. This is your typical large distro, which includes tons of software you'll probably never use. I haven't put anything on it besides Chrome, but since Mint is built on Ubuntu, it'll probably run most anything. More to come later, maybe.

First Post/Introduction

This is my first blog post ever. I'm a college student at Auburn University in Computer Engineering, so I'll probably be posting nerdy things I'll be working on. Here are some of my hobbies:

• Guitar and Drums and Harmonica. I play them all.
• Linux. I'm a distro-hopper.
• Politics. I'm a Libertarian, so expect good things. 
• Apple Laptops. I've had quite a few, but I'll bash Apple constantly.
• Led Zeppelin and many other bands. 
• Google products. I'm a huge fan, and will rave on the ones I use daily.
• Computer Security. I love Brian Krebs. 
• Android. I've owned the Droid and the Galaxy Nexus and a Nexus 7, and hopefully a Galaxy Note 2 in the future. I like ROMs and rooting and such. 
• Seeing live music. I've seen over 100 concerts and go to as many as I can. 
• Internet culture. I probably won't post about this though, because it is everywhere.
• Many other things. We'll see as time progresses.

I want to work at Google in a few years when I graduate, but I'm not a huge fan of programming, so we'll see how that works out. That's a little about me. I've decided to write my first content post on a new Linux I just started using, and my favorite overall: Linux Mint with Cinnamon. It's up now!