What's the best pizza brand ?

Q : What's the best pizza brand from a shop/supermarket ?
A : Chicago Town (by a long way in my opinion )

Chicago Town Sloppy Joe Classic Crust Takeaway Pizza

I have been a purveyor of cheap pizzas for a while, never being satisfied by them. That is, until I tried Chicago Town. This brand is better than any pizza that I have tried including takeaway/restaurant ones (though I am limited in eating 'quality' pizzas)

What I like about Chicago Town pizza :

The dough :
is fantastic. Soft, tasty and doesn't go brick hard when cooked. Even eating the crust is tasty (including crust that isn't filled with topping)

What LED light bulb should I get ?

Question : What LED light bulb should I get to replace my 100w incandescent bulbs ?

Answer : Probably LEDs around 25w or more

12w LED Cornbulb

Lumens : Most people probably want to use lumens as their reference rather than watts. This is the measurement of brightness. The more lumens the better.

Lumens of an incandescent 100w bulb : around 1600 lumens
An incandescent 100w bulb is estimated to have around 1600 lumens. With LEDs you will probably need 25w or more to match or beat that amount of lumens.

Other things to consider when buying a LED bulb

Color temperature
bulbs with a lower color temp are more yellowy (warm), and ones higher have a bluer white (cool). Warm is around 2700K. Cool is around 6000K. Personally I think I currently prefer something around 4100K but this might not be a common option (often it's either warm or cool only). 'Warm' is meant to be the equivalent of the old 100w incandescent bulb most people had (giving a yellowy white).

35w CFL bulb

Base/Cap type
Usually this is either standard screw bulb (ES, Edison Screw) or Standard Bayonet Cap
Standard size screw bulb code : E27
Standard size bayonet bulb code : B22

What happened to CFL as energy efficient bulbs ?
They are still around but if you are 'green' then they have been superseded by LEDs as the 'green' bulb of choice. CFL's contain mercury, and LEDs also tend to give more lumens per watt, meaning less watts needed. IKEA now only sells LED bulbs.

Why is everyone with LED bulbs in a dark house ?

12w LED aside a 35w CFL

Most LED bulbs widely available are usually below 10W, which is like having 40W incandescent bulbs. Not enough lumens. 25w+ LED bulbs are not common in shops. You can get them easy on Amazon/Ebay etc.

Size of LED bulbs :
Currently LED bulbs can get very big as the watts go up compared to incandescent bulbs. A 20w bulb might be 15cm long. I guess over time they will produce smaller versions as technology improves.

My advice if buying LED bulbs :
I am still a novice in this myself but I would say treat yourself to lumens. Even higher than the old 100w incandescent equivalents (1600 lumens). I would go for maybe 25w+ but watch out about size. They get pretty big around that wattage.    

Where are the sound recorder files in Windows 8.1 ?

Question : Where are the sound recorder recording files in Windows 8.1 ?

Update (Oct 2014)
The current easiest way I know of is  :
open the file explorer
type in the box :
%LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\Indexed\Recordings

Answer : There seems no easy answer to this, but the easiest way I find the sound recorder files is  :

!. Right click the start menu at the bottom left
2. Click 'file explorer'
3. In the search box on the top right of the window that opens (search this PC), type in 'recordings' (the name of the folder is 'recordings')
4. Hopefully the sound recorder file folder will appear, probably at the end of the search as the first item at the top (usually named something like 'C/Users ... etc')

The usual place for the sound recorder recordings folder is something like :
C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\Indexed 

Comment :
It seems that Microsoft wants to stop people using their OS offline, and wants to entice you to their online products (hence why the 'programs' are now called 'apps'). So with 'programs' you expect in an OS that are standalone, they have now made them awkward to access all aspects of them 'offline' etc. Or so it seems to me.

Also there are 2 'Sound Recorder' programs/apps in Windows 8.1. The very basic one seems to save files in your documents folder but the 'full package' main one doesn't. 

What I did :
I made a folder on the desktop and copy and paste recordings into it.

Which wireless remote shutter release for Nikon J2 camera ?

Question : Which wireless remote shutter release works with the Nikon J2 camera ?

Answer : ML-L3 Wireless remote control

The ML-L3 can be bought as an 'official' Nikon part for around $20/£15 or you can buy a 3rd party compatible copy for much cheaper    

The ML-L3 is listed by Nikon as compitable with a number of certain cameras in the Nikon ranges if they are infra-red compatible. The cameras would be certain cameras in the ranges Nikon D-SLR, Nikon 1 and Nikon COOLPIX (check your camera is compatible)

Important :
Check your camera has infra-red capability
Check the camera is compatible with the remote control (in this case ML-L3)  

Links :
Amazon USA search : ML-L3 (cheapest first )
Amazon UK search :  ML-L3 (cheapest first)

Nikon USA page on ML-L3
Nikon UK page on ML-L3

Why won't compatible Epson XP202 cartridge be recognised by printer

Question : Why won't my new compatible Epson XP202 ink cartridge be recognised by the printer ?

My current 3 possible answers are

Possible answer 1 :
Give the ink cartridge a shake before inserting

Possible answer 2 : I found that the cartridge ink had to be 'charged' by the printer. Once this was done the 3rd party cartridge worked. I found the 'charge' function in the 'how to' button of the Epson program pop-up 'status monitor.

It feels like Epson does everything it can with it's software on your computer to stop a 3rd party cartridge being installed. I am guessing that when a genuine Epson cartridge is installed it automatically has it's ink 'charged' by the printer and works immediately.

With a 3rd party ink cartridge it seems the ink was not charged automatically. I was about to give up but went through the'how to' box in the Epson status monitor pop-up. Here at the end was a function to 'charge' the ink. When this was done it worked.

Possible answer 3 :
There is a 'physical' way to do answer 2 using the buttons on the printer. I found it in this confusing page link

---

links
Amazon UK search :  Epson XP202 ink

What ink does the Epson XP202 use ?

Question : What is the code for Epson XP202 printer ink cartridges ?

Answer : It seems that Epson refer to the cartridges officially as '18' or 'Daisy' brand of ink cartridges which seem to cover the 'Expression' brand of inkjet printers including Epson XP202.

If using 3rd party ink cartridges : it seems you need to look for cartridges that say they can be used with XP202, or will often refer to 'T18' or sometimes be referred to as 'E18', depending on how each company refers to the Espon '18' brand of cartridges. T18 seems to be the common reference

Examples :
The official Epson code in the UK for Black XL (extra large) is C13T18114010


This is meant as guidance only. Please research yourself to make sure you get the right cartridge before buying.

Links :

Amazon UK search :  Epson XP202 ink cartridges
Amazon USA search : Epson XP202 ink

 Espon UK website list of XP202 cartridges (note, 3rd parties will probably be very much cheaper) : Link

Braun Mobile Shaver M60 and M90 : What's the difference ?

Question : What is the difference between the Braun Mobile Shaver models M60 and M90 ?

Answer : It looks to me that they are the same except the M90 also has a 'trimmer' whereas the M60 does not.

---

links :

Braun website : basic comparison of M60 and M90

Comment after 1 year use of Braun M90
I guess it's meant as an 'afternoon shadow' shaver so in that sense it does what it says (though it could cut even finer). It's a very 'fine' shave but not fine enough for me (still feels like I could get closer). It cuts well with no/little catching etc. On the downside it is just too fine for anything more than short growth (but not fine enough for a very close shave), though it will cut longer growth without catching (much)  (but takes a long time). It also seems to miss some stray long hairs which is irritating.    

It's a quality product though I prefer rotary foils for a close shave, but the rotaries I have used get too close and irritate my neck skin same as a manual shave.

Can others hear wireless headphones ?

Question : Can other people intercept wireless headphones sound ?

Answer : 
Radio-wave headphones : Yes they can, by someone using radio-wave headphones within the trnasmission distance. This distance could cover about 50m. If it has a built-in mic and is set for transmission, any sound transmitted by the mic can be intercepted.

Infra-red : These work in line of sight of the transmitter only, so in a room you are probably quite safe.Only anyone in line of sight and with a set of infra red headphones could intercept the transmission.

Blue-tooth headphones : I am not sure. If I had designed bluetooth then it would be secure. However the world went ahead with security not in mind and connectivity being everything, so perhaps a bluetooth headphone could 'connect' to another device within about 50m which was someone else's. I would like to say bluetooth is secure but currently I don't know. Radio-waves would not seem able to be made secure, whereas I am guessing manufacturers could secure bluetooth.

Wifi : I don't know if wifi headphones exist but the same rules/doubts would probably apply as bluetooth. You would need to connect them to a router, which is hassle compared to bluetooth.

My preference would be infra-red until security is known of other types (although they can't receive out of sight of the trnasmitter) or bluetooth headphones in the hope they were secure (but the device would need to be bluetooth compatible)   

Other ways of asking the question :
Cnn wireless headphones be intercepted ?
Can neigbors hear wireless headphones ?
Can others eavesdrop wireless headphones ?

Chrome is saving rather than printing

Problem : Google Chrome. I want to print but it saves instead

Answer : On the Chrome print page, the 'destination' should be 'print' and not 'PDF'. In the 'Destination' section, click on change and change it to your named printer.

For some reason, the 'print' destination has changed to (most likely) 'PDF', meaning you are saving the documents as a PDF rather than printing them. In the destination section, click on change and change it to your named printer.

on Google Chrome print page
Look for 'Destination' in the left-hand sidebar
Click change
Change it to your named printer

Huawei Ascend Y300 : How to delete text messages

How do I delete text messages in the Huawei Ascend Y300 ?

Answer : Hold down the text message with your finger. A menu will appear with the option to delete (among other things) 

Remove files from google search cache and google search

How to remove files (pdf, doc, txt etc) and website listings from google cache and google search

Answer : Probably the quickest first way to try is this :
https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/removals
It may take a few days before it's removed

If that doesn't work (it may take a few days), then you would probably have to try more complex ways
https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/1663691?hl=en

How to deactivate/delete website accounts you join

How to deactivate/delete facebook account
How to deactivate/delete twitter account
How to deactivate/delete those pesky sites that can make it difficult to do.

This site tells you how you can delete social media or other website accounts and what happens with next and with the info
deleteyouraccount.com

Myhermes.co.uk : a maximum combined length and circumference of 225cm

max weight : 15kg
No side longer than 120cm

Calculation :

((width + height) x 2) + length = < 225cm. 

myhermes explain : link
myhermes site general info : link

If you use myhermes.co.uk to send parcels, you may wonder what this means :

Any parcel must also be less than 120cm on any side and a maximum combined length and circumference of 225cm.

If you are sending a parcel with no circular measurements, you may wonder how to equate this to a cube/rectangle package

The answer would seem to be in the page about 'check parcel size', it says this  :

We can carry parcels that weigh up to 15 kilo's each, up to 120 cm in length. If you add the two shortest dimensions and multiply them by two and then add the length, the total calculation needs to be fewer than 225 cm. 

link to myhermes.co.uk measurement answer

Summary of the 'size' rule when sending a parcel in this category :
1. First, you need to check no side is greater than 120cm long.

2. Then you add the 2 smallest sides and double it.
Then add that number to the longest side.
This total must be less than 225cm

MyHermes maximum size Calculator

First Check : no side longer than 120cm

MyHermes Calculation
smallest side (cm)
+
next smallest side (cm)
x 2
+ longest side (cm)
must = less than 225cm

Solution

Example :
Package 80cm x 20cm x 15cm

1st step test
All sides are less than 120cm so pass first step.

2nd rule test : 
Add 2 smallest sides : 20 + 15 = 35cm
Multiply this by 2 :  35 x 2 = 70cm
Add longest side  : 80 + 70 = 150cm
Is total less than 225cm ? 150cm means YES

Minimum package size : Also they say a package should be at least A5 size (to get the label on), but I think you can perhaps shrink the label size in the printer, so you would be best to check if you can send packages under A5 size.