Fredstuff.com » Editorial http://fredstuff.com/blog Hi. I'm Fred. I live in Stockholm, Sweden. I like: Music, TV, Gadgets, Technology and the Webs. I also like to try out new things on the web and when I do I will write about it here. I've been blogging since 2005, mostly in Swedish. This is my first all English blog - Welcome! Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:58:20 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 A New Year – A New Post http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/a-new-year-a-new-post http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/a-new-year-a-new-post#comments Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:08:59 +0000 Fred http://fredstuff.com/blog/?p=17131 This post will be very undramatic and laid back. I went to a really nice New Years Eve party last night at my friends house. The food, the company and the laughs — it was perfect.

I skipped making best of 2011-lists because that’s not really my cup of tea. My friends were at it like crazy urging me to make my own lists but no dice. I do enjoy reading some of them though. Especially when mp3 blogs list the 50 best tracks and you can download all of them and be reasonably sure they’ll all be good — if it’s a blog you trust top start with that is. I will just go on and post stuff that I like here at Fredstuff, like an ongoing list of things I like. No need to condense it into list form.

Now, let’s see what 2012 has in store for us!

]]> http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/a-new-year-a-new-post/feed 0 Moving House – Back Online http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/moving-house-back-online http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/moving-house-back-online#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:08:16 +0000 Fred http://fredstuff.com/blog/?p=13597
No updates during the last few days, I’ve been moving house to a temporary apartment. My apartment is up for renovations; a new kitchen, a new bathroom things like that. I’ve got Internet at home again and I will hopefully post on a regular basis. Keep checking!

]]> http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/moving-house-back-online/feed 0 I Got The iPhone 4S http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/i-got-the-iphone-4s http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/i-got-the-iphone-4s#comments Sat, 29 Oct 2011 14:50:21 +0000 Fred http://fredstuff.com/blog/?p=7976
Yes box. I got it yesterday after having it pre-booked for a few days. October 28:th was the release day here in Sweden. My previous phone was a iPhone 3GS, it had a jailbreak on it so I was kind of nervous about the transition of data from the old phone to the new one. I did one last sync with the 3GS and updated iTunes to the latest version, then hooked up the 4S and did a restore from backup. That part went well — except for the part where the new phone imported over 600 pictures from one of my iPhoto albums. Because of that I learned how to quickly remove several photos from the camera roll. I got the tip from this blog post. I was stuck for a while after that; I didn’t know you had to activate the new SIM card. While I was on hold with the phone company I found out you could do it over the net. An hour later the card was activated.


One of the first shots I took with it was out the bedroom window.

Then came the dreadful task of organizing all the apps (186 to be exact) into the correct folders and screens — it took a while. After that I realized that I couldn’t get it to connect to my home Wi-Fi network. That was strange since my 3GS worked just fine. Solution; I entered the MAC address for the 4S into the modem/router. Didn’t work at first and I was about to give up. I then restarted the modem and the 4S was connected via Wi-Fi. Success!

The unit feels snappy compared to the 3GS. Internet speed is good too as you can see from the Speed Test app screenshot (first 3G then Wi-Fi). I can’t provide you with a test video today. Well, I could — but I haven’t filmed anything worth posting. Yet. I’m looking forward to using this device, the camera is great and it just feels so much faster.

]]> http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/i-got-the-iphone-4s/feed 0 Wednesday Update http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/wednesday-update http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/wednesday-update#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:29:40 +0000 Fred http://fredstuff.com/blog/?p=7864
The name Wednesday continues Middle English Wednesdei. Old English still had wodnesdæg, which would be continued as Wodnesday (but Old Frisian has an attested wednesdei). By the early 13th century, the i-mutated form was introduced unetymologically. – Wikipedia

So, I still don’t know why Wednesday is called Wednesday — thank you Wikipedia. It’s much easier when it comes to Swedish; Onsdag — Odins Day. Yes, the Norse God and the ruler of Asgard. Haha, pretty cool. Thursday (Torsdag) is Thors Day.

I posted a pic above taken with my scrappy old friend the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W70, it’s of a Rowan Berry tree just outside my living room window and balcony. The pic is posted here to show that fall is here — it’s getting colder by the day and soon Sweden will be shrouded in (close to) perpetual darkness. Just the way I like it. I don’t know why, but I do. Here’s some info on Rowan Berries courtesy of wikipedia (more Norse stuff today)!:

The name “rowan” is derived from the Old Norse name for the tree, raun. Linguists believe that the Norse name is ultimately derived from a proto-Germanic word *raudnian meaning “getting red” and which referred to the red foliage and red berries in the autumn.

I mentioned earlier that there has been some problems with the blog (caused by my hosting provider). I’ve been in touch with them again over chat this time. It took an hour but in the end the representative told me that the problem was now corrected and fixed and that it should stay that way. It’s been smooth sailing since then and I hope this mess is well over and done.

That’s about it for now, you learned at least three things today.

]]> http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/wednesday-update/feed 0 The End Of An Era http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/the-end-of-an-era http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/the-end-of-an-era#comments Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:10:34 +0000 Fred http://fredstuff.com/blog/?p=7700

Weird. That other day — as I was about to go to sleep — I got this idea of listing people I look up to (who were still alive). Then I wake up today to the news that Steve Jobs has passed away. He was going to be on my list. Dammit why didn’t I post it here right at the moment I got the idea? Then I was going to write about the new iPhone that was announced on Tuesday but that feels slighty less important today. My Facebook feed is filled with different opinions regarding his passing; everything from people feeling sad to “he was just another leader of a big multinational corporation!”.

No matter what you think of him he did make a difference in the world of technology, that is more than evident while going on a Stockholm subway train. Everyone is using iPhones. I’m not turning this into a long winded tirade, I just wanted to be a part of this sad, sad day. Rest in peace, Steve — and thank you!

The Apple web site today, paying tribute in a very stylish way. Hey, a rhyme!

Related post:
Why I Love My Mac

A few interesting links:
How Steve Jobs “out-Japanned” Japan
The trouble with Steve Jobs
The life of Steve Jobs
My neighbor, Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs @ Wikipedia

]]> http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/the-end-of-an-era/feed 0 I’m Keeping This Blog Going http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/keeping-this-blog-going http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/keeping-this-blog-going#comments Sat, 20 Aug 2011 15:59:05 +0000 Fred http://fredstuff.com/blog/?p=7580
Ouch, I’m so out of touch updating this blog that coming up with a title was hard. Just wanted you all to know that I’m going to keep blogging. It was a close call — my web host account was up for renewal today, pay up or have the blog deleted and shoved into digital oblivion. In the end I decided to keep going and settled the hosting bill. I’m happy I made this decision — and I hope you’ll be too.

The turning point that made me continue with fredstuff.com was a single comment asking me to update. That’s all it took really, just one voice telling me to keep going (and that I had at least one visitor). Thank you, you know how you are. So that’s pretty much it, stay tuned!

]]> http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/keeping-this-blog-going/feed 0 Spring 2011 Is Here http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/spring-2011-is-here http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/spring-2011-is-here#comments Sun, 24 Apr 2011 09:21:13 +0000 Fred http://fredstuff.com/blog/?p=7528 Yup. Spring time has finally reached Stockholm, Sweden. It’s the time of year when it’s impossible to wear the right amount of clothes.

]]> http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/spring-2011-is-here/feed 0 Long Walk Fail http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/long-walk-fail http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/long-walk-fail#comments Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:58:06 +0000 Fred http://fredstuff.com/blog/?p=7401
I was supposed to take a long walk today. I had kicked some new life into my trusty old Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W70. A great little point-and-shoot camera that I almost forgot about when I bought my Nikon D40. I felt I needed some variation in my photography, the iPhone is fun to shoot with but I tend to over use all those damn effects. I needed something straight and clean. A few minutes into the walk I remembered that one of my shoes (the left one) is letting in water when it’s wet outside. I do own several good pairs of shoes but those are my faves. It was thawing outside today, the shoes didn’t work that well so to speak. Then I turned the Sony on and realized the battery was almost dead — I managed to get a few shots and then I turned back home.

On my way home I realized I had shot with the macro on and all but one pic was out of focus. That one pic is the only one I’m posting today. The reddish sticker is from “Sisterhood without Borders” or something along those lines, I’m translating from Swedish. It’s about a demonstration/manifestation concerning “Feminists Against Racism”. Suck on that one for a minute or two. I live in Sweden’s first official Feminist suburb. The other sticker with Lady Liberty is fitting but in reality it’s just a street wear store in downtown Stockholm.

I’ve been listening to the Gypsy & the Cat album “Gilgamesh” all day — it’s that good. I’m also having a Resident Evil movie pentathlon, all feature films and the animated one running in the background. Not all at once. The sound is off too, just like when I had the Alien marathon two Saturdays ago. A 42″ screensaver so to speak.

It’s Saturday and I woke up at 5:47am — feels like it’s in the middle of the night at the moment and it’s not even eight o’clock at night. Fight it, fight it!

]]> http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/long-walk-fail/feed 0 Before Sunrize http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/before-sunrize http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/before-sunrize#comments Sat, 05 Mar 2011 06:12:13 +0000 Fred http://fredstuff.com/blog/?p=7312
Can’t sleep so I’m up before the sun — on a Saturday morning. Being up early is not that big of a deal but the fact that I was going to bed at 5 in the morning and waking up 2 hours later without being able to go back to sleep is a recipe for a weird day. Nice view out the bedroom window though.

]]> http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/before-sunrize/feed 0 Streets of Ice http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/streets-of-ice http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/streets-of-ice#comments Sat, 26 Feb 2011 09:19:47 +0000 Fred http://fredstuff.com/blog/?p=7293
The streets of Stockholm are covered in a thick layer of ice. Everyone is getting tired of this winter to the point of crying. I like winter; feeling safe in a big down jacket, wearing sturdy shoes and smiling inside at all the hipsters who stand shuddering, shaking in the cold trying to look stylish in clothes that’d be too cold for early spring. I even defend wintertime but that is slowly starting to change. The cold is OK — I’ve got no beef with the cold — but it’s the damn ice that’s covering every inch of our streets.

Road and sidewalk become one blurry mess and that adds to the confusion, like when drivers park their car on what I know to be a lawn. I need borders, I need to know where I’m supposed to walk. I want the snow to disappear, it feels like this winter have been around forever. I want to be able to take my kick bike/scooter out on a run, it’s just lying there on the floor in the hallway being all useless and shiny. My last moped got stolen and I need the snow and ice to go away right this very now so that I can get a new one and cruise the summer night streets. A moped/scooter is freedom. It’s impossible to walk casually on streets of ice and running is not an option — not that I’d like to run but sometimes you have to. Oh, and I have to complain about one last thing; the whiteness. Taking pictures in an all white surrounding/vista is really boring. I need some color — everything is either white or a gray/brown slushy mess. And the white hurt my eyes, haha. There, now I’m done with complaining, I know I’m not alone in this and that’s a comfort.

]]> http://fredstuff.com/blog/editorial/streets-of-ice/feed 0