Tech | Tools Archives - Page 2 of 4

Tech | Tools – Highlighting, promoting and sharing the technology and tools (both digital and physical) used through the problem solving process. In some cases, learn from our testing efforts, as there might be items in this category you may want to avoid. So, treat this as an experience, an experience when using such tools or technology.

September 20, 2023September 27, 2024

Clean Up URLs

Own Your Own Links, We Clean Up URLs

URLs Shortener, the Move To Tinurl, Cleanup Up URLs

Tech | Tools – Shortening URLs

Confirmed, URLs out…

Time to clean up URLs, rid your site of extended URLs and make them cleaner. An update on URLs (shortener): for the sake of time, we have purge our self-hosted url shortener. We’ve officially dropped the stand alone code from production. Try Tinurl, if you want to use such a service. Use something like the Tinyurl app/website… click here to learn more.

The apps has been around for awhile. Those of who you share links, swap links, etc., know that most companies have some form of URL ‘shortener’. Whether it is Amazon, YouTube or TinyURL themselves. Clean up URLs. Check out this short code via Amazon in this scenario. Scenario: College Kid is looking for a tablet, finds one and would like to share the find with someone – a.co/d/dBwmxaK, a pretty handy link… This is just a small example of short of the short code game, with a massive eCommerce site like Amazon. The same goes for YouTube share links… Anyhow, at some point, we will circle back to this topic and see if there is something worth investing in.

Before you leave, make sure to check off whatever is next on your to-do list. I’ll share one more tip with you. Hopefully, you are in the mood to clean up or declutter. Try using justdeleteme – “a directory of direct links to delete your account from web services”. You can learn more about it and the benefits of a great purge, justdeleteme article. We regularly purge old accounts and social sites as often as we can, and you can do the same. I personally delete and close out old account annually. It’s a great resource getting rid of unused services.

Other Means of Support

While were fixing things today, let’s share a few other helpful tips. Such as finding new domain name ideas, GoDaddy Bounceback services, email deliverability, knowing when to clear the cache, and how to Flush DNS on a Mac/Apple. Additionally,ipconfig /flushdns for Windows, and sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches on Linux.

We’ll also cover how to maintain your digital footprint i.e. activity on the web and what to do when the interwebs are completely down; really down. Choose down detection. These tips are super handy when starting a new website from scratch because eventually, you will come across these issues in one way or another. It’s bound to happen.

August 22, 2023September 27, 2024

Quick Fix – Nano Mixer

Nano Mixer Fix

Bloom’n Again, Mixer Back In Action

Tech | Tools – Frother Quick Fix

Quick Fix – Disassemble, Clean, New Batteries…

Quickly stir in sugar and milk, mix up your protein powders and fine particulates; all made easy with the Bloom mixer. I wanted to share a quick fix, as our nano mixer quit on us a few weeks back. Typically, the morning and afternoon espresso is ‘cut’ with a few granules of sugar and some half and half… as I get older, the trend has been ‘lighter and sweeter’… any how, here is the internal works of the mixer, teardown – a few screws, clean up, reset the metal prongs and a new set of batteries and we were back in business. Mixing up protein powder, scrambling eggs and espresso/coffee.

Just a note, be sure to keep the lower body (green structural plastic in the picture) dry if you can, there is a bit of a seal there… but better safe than dropping $20 – $40 on a new one. Again, here is the link for the Bloom variety, I think the mixer has been updated since the date of purchase.

We’ve tried the ‘mini blenders’ like the Bullet’s, and the hand blenders, the top of the line so to speak, with the blenders… there are advantages to all, negatives as well. The Bloom mixer is great, now that we got a Quick Fix – Nano Mixer running again. Nice mixer for the small stuff, no need to plug anything in, or clean up pre-made cups etc. Magic Bullet style mixers were great for ‘bullet coffee’*.

Make Bullet Coffee

Never heard of bullet coffee. Make some coffee in a Bodum or Colleti.. or choose your home Coffee Machine. See below. There are a few of the nano/hand mixers on the market, and Amazon can help you find one that fits your budget. I’ve included some below so you can make your own ‘bullet coffee’, with links included…

*Bullet Coffee Recipe: Full Fat Butter, Raw Coconut Oil, espresso/coffee of choice – Nespresso Pods – Tokyo Vivalto Lungo, a few spins of the mixer, and you’re done.

In conclusion, I’ll probably post more about espresso machines, specifically the Nespresso machine. Stay tuned for more. Thanks!

August 6, 2023September 23, 2024

Telescoping Magnetic Picker

Magnetic Tools – Enbar. Need A Hand?

Pick Up Metal Tools, Scrap, Nails and More

Tech | Tools – Working With Metal? How About Small Screws And Bolts? Need A Hand?

Need a hand? Pick up a Enbar magnetic telescoping ‘pick me up’ tool.

This particular Enbar tool has a small magnet that extends from 7″ to 30″, making it handy to have around when you need a magnetic hand. While working on the Jeep, from time to time, a screw or bolt might find it’s way in an area where my fingers and arms simply can’t reach. Additionally, my fingers lack the magnetism needed to pick up 1″ to 2.5″ bolts tucked down in front framing tubes. (I recently ‘lost’ a bold down in the front tubing area, when changing out the headlamps and ended up recovering a star screw multiple times; it just wasn’t a good day to tinker on the Jeep.) This is where the Enbar tool comes in handy.

I chose Mini without a light, the small No.1 Magnet Tool. There are three others in the handheld tool lineup. Some are different in size, while others have a small light to help in tight, dark areas. Check out the Enbar tool if you’re looking for similar assistance in and around the shop or garage.

A handy tool for around $10*, depending on which model you choose. So, for as little as $10 bucks* for the smaller model without a mini light or ~$12* for the largest tool with a light, the Enbar Magnet tool just might be the tool to have around the house, shop or the garage. Maybe get couple – one small, one large? You pick, you pick the right ‘pick me up’ tool for your needs. Don’t forget to leave a comment or share your experience online if you choose to purchase one of these tools. It helps drive that customer review rating (4.6 stars out of 3,925 ratings as of 8/6/2023).

Drone Accessories

Enbar Magnet Tool

Enbar Tool

Magnetic

August 5, 2023September 27, 2024

GoDaddy Bounceback Services

Rolling With A Bounceback Services

Let’sLet’sReport Your Findings, A Bounceback Option

Tech | Tools – Email Support

Report A Bounceback Error

For those of you using Godaddy for hosting, consider trying GoDaddy Bounceback Services. Visit the Report A Bouncebak Error site for more information. If you need to investigate a rejected or bounceback message, or require more details from your hosting provide, this mini site can be useful, especially when troubleshooting returned emails. The same goes for Hostgator users – HostGator Bounceback Support is available as well.

If you are experiencing email issues, such as emails bouncing back, we encourage you to address the bounceback messages independently. However, proceed with caution and be mindful of the steps and actions you take. The tool requires raw data (source messages data) to function correctly. Moreover, understanding diagnostics, diagnostic system errors, and spam rejections may require some time. Stay patient and persistent.

To do this, open your local mail client suck as Outlook, Apple Mail or Gmail. The mail client app will offer a ‘view’ or ‘view message’ option. Choose to ‘view’ header data on a transmission, including both successful and unsuccessful sends.

If you find yourself in a hypothetical scenario, you may need to review a message that was likely transmitted correctly. This will be beneficial for future troubleshooting, as your familiarity with the interface will be useful. For instance, for those of you using MacOS, follow these steps: Open Mail => Find and Click Mail in Question, with the mail highlighted => Go to View => Scroll Down to Message => Chose either All Headers or Raw Source depending on the service that is requesting it . DIYers can also find online resources to troubleshoot on their own before contacting their hosting affiliate.

Report A Bouneback Error

The GoDaddy Bounceback Services website, also known as the Report A Bounceback Error site, will ask for .EML files from you. Once you have the message headers or raw sources, you will need to provide them to the bounceback tool. Save these files locally, and ensure they are saved in a readable format. Simply rename the files with the requested file type.

Simple right? If you can reach get to this point, most Tier 2 or support centers can investigate the email in question in greater detail. Although there is no standard SLA (Service Level Agreement) the typical timeframe is 12-24 hours depending on the order of magnitude; most will respond within a few days, some within a week, assuming limited or non-paid tech support.

August 2, 2023September 27, 2024

FLUSH – DNS Cache

Flush System DNS CACHE, IP Address Wisdom And More

Tech | Tools – More Reference Than Tool, MacOS Flush DNS Cache

A few things to note: from time to time, you may need to flush your DNS cache, understand how your IP address is acting and how to dump, secure, or authorize computer code to start fresh.

Flush DNS Cache – MacOS

Plain text: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder; say cache flushed
Or
1. Command  + Spacebar
2. Type Terminal, strike enter
3. Select to Open ‘Mac Terminal Application’
4. Type sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder; say cache flushed, strike enter
5. Terminal will request “Sudo” password, enter Sudo password, and strike enter
6. Assuming the password given is correct, the system will state “Cache Flushed as indicated in the terminal command
7. Command  + W to close Terminal window
8. Strike Enter to close out window

Flush DNS Cache – Windows

1. Ctrl + R Run Windows Terminal
2. ipconfig /all directing the system to flush all. For more information, you can look up more information by inputting ipconfig?
3. Assuming no superuser credentials needed, strike enter
4. Terminal will confirm, all released and renewed
5. Ctrl + W to close Terminal window

Although this post may seem basic basic, at it’s core, it is. The command has been available since the dawn of the internet allowing users to reset the system as needed. This post will focus on the process of flushing the MacOS DNS Cache. I have included a snippet/script for resolving connection issues, tailored for both MacOS and Windows users who may come across this post.

Experiencing lag? Before we proceed, please note that these terminal commands have been used for a while with limited changes over time. The only differences might be MacOS specific, directing the system to ‘speak aloud – Cache flushed’ when the command has been completed, among other actions. Flushing the DNS cache might just be the trick for your Mac. What exactly is this DNS flushing business? It involves skipping the process of physically deleting your local cache (not internet cache/cookies etc). I’ll also post something about that.

So, we are talking about flushing the DNS? Let’s begin with a brief explanation of DNS – Domain Name Server. If you need more information on DNS, you can check out Cloudflare’s Definition of DNS to understand how it works, and so on. Essentially, the DNS translates domain names into IP addresses, which are essential for navigating the internet. Without DNS, web browsers wouldn’t be able to load websites. For a more in-depth look, I recommend reading the Cloudflare article for more details.

In a day or two, I will follow up with a post on WhatIsMyIPAddress about deleting ‘local user cache’ files on your Mac. It will make more sense in a few days if you haven’t a chance to troubleshoot your own computer issues related to internet speed, lag, and connections.

March 26, 2023September 27, 2024

RPI Touch

Raspberry Pi (RPI) Touch

7″ Touchscreen Kit Build, Flash and Boot

Tech | Tools – RPI Touch

The new RPI Imager simplifies the process of accessing, flashing, changing, and running your favorite RPI OS, making it seamless and ready-to-use. It’s like a game changer for RPI enthusiasts. You can play games, surf the web, and do everything you can locally on an RPI device. Gamers can also try out RPI Game Emulators and more.

To get started, you will need an RPI Touch, a touchscreen USB tethering cable or USB Fob, and your OS of choice. We recommend starting with the latest version of each, and using the new imager/software available through Raspberry Pi Imager. Below is a full list of items and links, assuming that the items are in stock.

Drone Accessories

RPI Unboxing

Setup

RPI Touch Unwrap

Board

Build

Imager

Marketing

Desktop

If you enjoyed the article and want to learn more about other IoT builds, or Apple Repairs – M1 Chip… be sure to check out Debian Buster SnapDragon 410c Build. Feel free to leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts!

January 12, 2023September 27, 2024

Email Issues; Deliverability

Testing Deliverability

MXToolbox, Solve Email and Deliverability Issues

Tech | Tools – Finding The Right Tools

The right tools for the right job, Email Issues; Deliverability. Give MX Toolbox at try.

Sometimes choosing the right tools is more about solving the right problem rather than creating more problems with additional tools. What do I mean by this? Are you experiencing domain issues, spam problems, or email deliverability challenges? If you need DNS assistance, consider using MX Toolbox. The MXToolbox web app offers a variety of tools to address DNS questions, domain issues, spam, or hacking concerns. I often rely on the MXToolbox “SuperTool” for support in these areas. This tool is incredibly useful to have in your digital toolbox for email, domain, and DNS support. Additionally, support representatives for tiered hosting, email, and specific applications can also provide valuable assistance.

ToolKit

Manage

Blacklist/p>

Commands

Lookup

Findings

Email Health

All Tools

All Tools Details

Tools Full Details

Verify

Anyway, take a look at the screenshots, no time like discovering deliverability issues just after the holiday. It’s good time to kick the tires on a less common issue these days. MX Toolbox is my goto when I need digital eyes on a problem. There are several images here, so hopefully you can get an idea of what’s available. You can also visit MX Toolbox – Supertool. Don’t overlook the ‘all tools’ link on the far right side of the main navigation, which is the ‘toolshed’ mentioned earlier. If you choose to click on the ‘all tools’ link, your next step will be to view All Tools in the tertiary navigation, specifically the first tab navigation in the main body.

December 14, 2022September 23, 2024

Schumacher 100Amp Charger/Starter

Schumacher SC1308 100/30/6/2

Tech | Tool – Need A Jump

In the field, around the shop, need a jump? Give the Schumacher 100Amp Charger/Starter a try… tremendous help in a pinch, supports longterm life and care for your car, marine or small atv/SxS batteries.

Features

100 A engine start
30 A boost
6 <> 2 A charge/maintain for advanced diagnostic testing, engine starting and charging
Powerful enough for starting SUVs, trucks and large batteries
Battery and alternator tester ─ provides charge level and helps diagnose electrical problems
Digital display, LED indicators and button controls ─ for ease and accuracy
Microprocessor controlled ─ automatically adjusts the amperage rate to charge and maintain
Multi-stage charging for added precision, safety and battery life
Float mode monitoring ─ automatically maintains optimum battery charge
Auto voltage detection ─ 6 or 12 volt
Reverse hook-up protection ─ charger will not operate if clamps are reversed; LED will flash.

Solid Jumpstart Power

On that note, may I dar to say that this charger never fails. Every time the Jeep battery dies, the Schumacher Jumpstart box does the trick. Additionally, we rewired a section of the Jeep’s wiring system to run the car stereo, speakers, sub, amp, and new lights. As mentioned before, this charger provides a little extra kick when needed; the 100a engine start feature is a nice touch. For the price, on Amazon – $110.99, you cant beat it. Of course, pricing may vary. This charger has saved enough in batteries alone.

Next, the Schumacher keeps extra batteries in storage charged. The charger maintains and prepares batteries for their next job. At some point, we will use these batteries for some lowfi, lowtech home ‘metal working’, or in the case of running a quick fix on a trail-locked Jeep or 4-wheeler…

Using batteries in series will maximize your ability to get the job done in any trail condition. For our test case, we will be using metal working to weld some items around the house. This will allow us to scratch that old welding itch and learn how to fabricate metal at home. The main goal is to practice welding. Novice welding is suitable using a DC welding electrode to patch metal, fix broken metal items at home, or simulate a trail repair. Alternatively, you can also try a little welding at home. For more information, check out ‘BleepinJeep’. I will be posting a quick video on the concept titled “Welding with Jumper Cables and Car Batteries” via BleepinJeep.

As usual leave a comment below, let us know what you’re thinking?

November 26, 2022September 27, 2024

AirMap by DroneUp

Take Flight, AirMap by DroneUp

AirMap for Drones, Setup and Flight App

Tech | Tools – Fly With Confidence – Airmaps

Get FAA approval to fly with AirMap by DroneUp… Are you looking for FAA compliant drone flight apps? Airmap makes flying easy and understandable. Fly with confidence while staying within legal requirements and having the knowledge to fly approved.

From installation to usage, AirMap by DroneUp for iOS or Airmap – for Android will help you understand what is happening in the airspace above you, how to fly with approved FAA flight status, log your flights, and more.

Airmaps iOS And Android

TFR

Welcome

Connect

FAA Plan

Zones

Restrictions

Brevard County

From t’s & c’s, to maps, flight logs and FAA approval to fly safely, make sure th get approved with FAA-approved flight requests. Check Kennedy Space Center to learn about the airspace above and around Kennedy. Familiarize yourself with the warnings and requirements, as well as the maps and flight restriction in and around the areas within your airspace.

Need more flight apps, or drone apps for flight approval? Leave us a comment below and we will find some additional drone apps for you. While you’re here take a look at other FAA related articles, FAA Hurricane Update from 10/1 and FAA Drone Safety from 4/19. Although these articles are now archived, it’s important to remember that drone flight rules are drone rules. Most importantly, make sure to stay compliant and safe while flying.

Own Your Own Links, We Clean Up URLs

URLs Shortener, the Move To Tinurl, Cleanup Up URLs

Tech | Tools – Shortening URLs

Other Means of Support

Nano Mixer Fix

Bloom’n Again, Mixer Back In Action

Tech | Tools – Frother Quick Fix

Make Bullet Coffee

Magnetic Tools – Enbar. Need A Hand?

Pick Up Metal Tools, Scrap, Nails and More

Tech | Tools – Working With Metal? How About Small Screws And Bolts? Need A Hand?

Drone Accessories

Rolling With A Bounceback Services

Let’sLet’sReport Your Findings, A Bounceback Option

Tech | Tools – Email Support

Report A Bouneback Error

Delete Yourself via Just Delete Me

Tech | Tools – JUST DELETE ME

Flush System DNS CACHE, IP Address Wisdom And More

Tech | Tools – More Reference Than Tool, MacOS Flush DNS Cache

Flush DNS Cache – MacOS

Flush DNS Cache – Windows

Raspberry Pi (RPI) Touch

7″ Touchscreen Kit Build, Flash and Boot

Tech | Tools – RPI Touch

Drone Accessories

Testing Deliverability

MXToolbox, Solve Email and Deliverability Issues

Tech | Tools – Finding The Right Tools

ToolKit

Schumacher SC1308 100/30/6/2

Tech | Tool – Need A Jump

Features

Solid Jumpstart Power

Take Flight, AirMap by DroneUp

AirMap for Drones, Setup and Flight App

Tech | Tools – Fly With Confidence – Airmaps

Airmaps iOS And Android