Posts by Julien Ouellet

Follow @techaccino for tech updates, and get rid of all your dozens of tabs, for Chrome’s sake.

It’s a poorly kept secret that we can cut through hundreds of online paywalls by simply browsing the interwebs through the myriad of wi-fi networks around. (And for the nth time, if Brown-Secure isn’t working but it was up one second ago, just restart your AirPort and/or your computer.) But a hidden advantage of being on a college campus with a sick CS department is that we get free access to all kinds of online services — all you need to do is find them. Or we can find them for you!

STUDY BREAK: Google Images >"angry computer"

The first hidden gem is the trove of free software that is available to download. Although Photoshop and InDesign are no longer accessible, some household names such as Matlab and Sibelius effectively upgrade your computer to a programming/music writing beast. If you’re able to steal find a faculty login, then the newest versions of Adobe’s Creative Suite and Microsoft Office are all yours. And because no one wants to leave your iPhones/iPads hanging, there’s also a couple of apps that configure your iDevice to always stay connected to Brown-Secure, no matter where you go. [Read more →]

Follow @techaccino for semi-instant updates, and check out last week’s column that you probably missed.

If you hear “Chrome extensions” and you don’t think about hair modifications, then you know what we’re talking about. With power users — people like ourselves who know how to use computers more than the average person — flocking to Google Chrome (soon to be the world’s most popular Internet browser), people have been looking for ways to tweak their online experience beyond just a new background. And thus, extensions were born (find them in the Window menu). Whether you already have 200 or you’ve just found out they existed, we reviewed the best ones for Brunonians below — pick and choose your faves, then check out the Web Store for some more.

FB Photo Zoom / Hover Zoom
Ever wish you didn’t have to click on a picture in your News Feed to see what it was? (Yes, this is the power of being a lazy college student). With FB Photo Zoom, you can rectify that and more. By passing your mouse over any picture on Facebook (be it a tiny profile thumbnail or a photo in a link), the image appears over the page next to your mouse in its original size. Hover Zoom adds the same functionality to other sites, including Twitter, Reddit and eBay. [Read more →]

First beer in space.

You made it through the rain, the chicken dance, the crowds at the soccer house and the loud electronica. As a token of our gratitude, here goes the Ode to Natty Light:

Your delicate can of silver and blue,
So often crushed after a shotgun,
Lifeless can surrounded by others,
Amid a sea of tan, exhausted legs.

Oh, the joy you brought to all!
The buzz of your beer, after a while,
Awakening our senses
To the smell of the lobster.

Some surmise you were made from another,
But you taste better;
So here’s to you, Natty God
May you live forever. 

At least as long as Binder keeps coming.

Peace out SW ’12. We hardly knew ye.

Image via.

As the semester progresses at the speed of light, the senior class is beginning to make peace with that fateful day in May: Commencement. Until the class of 2012 up and leaves us, BlogDH wants to highlight all the interesting things the class has been up to. To this end, we are (re)starting a series, Last Call, featuring seniors reflecting on their experiences at Brown. Each featured senior will tag another senior for the next installment. Find this year’s other “Last Call” chain here.

Then + Now

People might know me as… UCS president, or an incredibly funny ball-buster.

Chantel’s question: Do you love this shit? Are you high right now? Do you ever get nervous? I absolutely love it; I’m high on life (my time at UCS is almost over!); all the time.

What was your highest moment as UCS president? There hasn’t been one defining high point, but it’s all the little moments, like when I’m humbled that people trust me to do a good job, or when people appreciate what I do.

And your lowest? Definitely the referendum aftermath [Note: the UCS-UFB referendum held last February]. There was a lot of strife among the students over the reasons for the referendum, and I was frustrated when people thought that UCS and myself would have any sort of motive other than doing the right thing for student groups. I thought people would trust me to do a good job. I’m not ashamed of what I did, but I realize the messaging and the timing should have been different. Although that’s never the kind of attention you want to bring, it did get people interested in UCS, and I still think if you strip out the messaging and the fearmongering, the amendment would be good for everyone. [Read more →]

Today is the annual Binder Day, so once you’ve made sure you’re actually awake (aka, your hangover is under control with a hearty Ratty breakfast), just make your way on outside. For everyone else, with this free Alarm Clock (Apple / Android), you won’t miss the fun next year. (Alternatively, find your asleep friend’s phone and download this for him/her.) It may also come in handy during finals, but that’s so far away from now…

Don't be like this guy

It’s Saturday Fraturday! Since more dancing and partying are on the horizon, and it’s impossible to not be doing either of those two things by now, we figured we would help you drink the beers you (probably hopefully) have in front of you right now. Rule #1: it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere. Rule #2: practice.

In order to perform Rule #2, you will need to download iBeer (Apple / Android). Once this is complete, pop open the app, face your phone to the right, bring your forearm in an upwards motion towards your mouth, and angle your wrist towards you. As you savor the digital beer molecules hitting your tastebuds, consider all the different settings in which this new skill will come in handy. Once you’ve practiced enough, put it to use at any one of the evening’s house parties.

Image via.

OMG Want.

So it’s now officially the first day of Spring Weekend, which means you’re furiously trying to cram… every single Childish Gambino lyric possible so you can impress all your friends tonight. But you know what’s better than working/going to class? Relaxing on the Main Green with a large crowd of people seems like an easy answer. Adding to that some semi-legalized smoking, the choice is pretty obvious. And if you put in some tasty cookies, there really isn’t anything more you could ask for.

Pro tip: bake them yourself, and bake them fresh. When the clock strikes 3, start a basic recipe like this one. At 3:45, pop a sheet in the oven and prepare another one. Take the first one out at 3:55 and turn the oven off, leaving the second sheet out and ready to go. Make the trek to Main Green at 4:00. When you come back, immediately turn on the oven and bake round 2. Savor.

Pic via.

Duuuude, it’s 4/20. You know what that means: you need to find something to do between 4:30 and 6 pm (when the concert doors open) this afternoon. Something that involves sitting around with friends and not moving too much for a while. JC (just chilling). Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

With RJDJ (Apple) and ScenePlayer (Android), you’re inside the music. Open up the app, choose the Soundtrips mode and let your phone do its own thing. By recording your surrounding sounds, it gets a feel for what type of environment you’re in, and selects a song accordingly. Per the Apple Store: ”music doesn’t get any more trippy than this.” You’re welcome. (If you’re in a more active mood, choose the Moovz mode, and control the music by touching or tilting your phone.)

Do it like this guy

Although it has cooled down since Tuesday’s heat wave, there’s nothing better than the prospect of dunking John Stein in a pool of ice cold water to get you outside. And that’s only the first in a long list of things to do this afternoon at the annual SPEC Carnival, which includes the inflatable versions of bull riding, jousting and foot racing. And even if getting rug burn on your knees is not your thing, or your Whisco hangover is still a bit too intense, there’s one thing you won’t want to miss: the snacks.

Yes, I know you’ve told yourself you’re going to stay healthy this Spring Weekend, and imma let you finish, but the amount and variety of delicious food is the best of all time: burgers, popcorn, hotdogs, lemonade, sno-cones; you name it, they have it. No matter what diet you’re “following”, the smell of cotton candy as you walk by will entrance you. Don’t resist — this is what Spring Weekend is all about. [Read more →]

So right now, you use your phone for texting and calling, checking up on friends every so often, and doodling random words when you’re bored in class. What about listening to music, following the news, or all those other uses that phone companies cite in their advertisements? Isn’t it about time you get the most out of Siri and all her magic? Although it may not seem like it, Spring Week is actually the perfect time to bring your phone up to its fullest potential, because you’ll actually be using it more than you think.

First off, you’ll want to know instantly when the Spring Weekend artists drop their newest tracks, make reference to their upcoming visit, or announce where they’ll be DJing the afterparty. With the now ubiquitous Twitter (Apple / Android / Blackberry / Windows), you get all of these and much, much more. Virtually everyone has an account these days, and by starring your favorite accounts, you can receive notifications/alerts when a new tweet comes out. And although the BCA has already tweeted what we wanted to know, they’ll likely be posting updates on the concert days for delays more detailed time schedules.

[Read more →]