206. Tech Tips Hodgepodge with 3D Printing and Crypto-Currency

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Not a member? Join here. This episode covers:

  • 2:40​ Apple watch as remote to iPhone camera
  • 8:49​ Send Bitcoin from one phone’s wallet to another
  • 13:53​ Make your own QR code
  • 19:56​ Putting text on a photo with Google Photos
  • 21:28​ Google Maps walking directions with augmented reality
  • 25:28​ 3D printing
  • 34:53​ Bitcoin, crypto-currency and Blockchain
  • 55:00​ Review

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2:40​ Apple watch as remote to iPhone camera

Chris demonstrates setting her iPhone a distance away and using the “Camera Remote” app on her apple watch to open the camera (the phone was even locked) and snapping a photo.

8:49​ Send Bitcoin from one phone’s wallet to another

Jim installed the Blue Wallet for bitcoin on his phone. He earlier took his phone to the local convenience store that has a Bitcoin ATM. The ATM reads a QR code from the Blue Wallet app just by holding his phone up to a scanner. Then he inserted $20 bills into the machine and they were transferred as bitcoin into the wallet.

Now, Chris demonstrates how Jim can send her bitcoin to her Blue wallet app. Using her phone, she opens Blue Wallet and taps on “Receive.” Then it displays a QR code and a corresponding long numeric code. IF Jim was somewhere else on the planet, she would email or text him the long numeric code. Since he’s right here, he can scan the QR code faster. He enters the amount of $10 – and notices the fee for $9.90, yikes! Tap the fee and you can see that the high fee is for fast transfer (about 10 minutes), slow transfer (24 hours) is only 69 cents.

13:53​ Make your own QR code

There are many apps for making your own QR code (see episode 146) Chris uses the app called QR Droid and selects the + icon to create QR code. There are many things that can be encoded in a QR code. Usually it’s just a web address. This video demonstrates making a QR code for a map. See video 454.SM-Android: How to create a QR Code with a Map? Chris also shows how she saves the QR code to Google Photos so she can have it available any time.

19:56​ Putting text on a photo with Google Photos

Android only right now. Open a photo, tap the edit button and scroll all the way over to the right side to More, and select the “Markup” button, then select the text option. Type whatever you want, move it around, tap Done.

21:28​ Google Maps walking directions with augmented reality

If you are using Google Maps for walking directions, you can tap the “Live View” button at the bottom, then lift the phone up to view your surroundings. Your next turn will be represented by big blue arrows right on top of the actual view.

25:28​ 3D printing

Jim has been playing with a 3D printer. His printer is CR-10S. He uses Thingiverse.com for the “models”. He takes the models, run them thru a slicer program to create the file that goes on an SD card. Then the SD card is inserted into the 3D printer for the printer to follow to create the desired items. See a time-lapse video of printing a baby Yoda.

32:20 A time-lapse video showing the 3D printer making a hand in a peace/victory sign. This actually took about 8 hours to print.

34:53​ Bitcoin, crypto-currency and Blockchain

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 206e-Bitcoin-1024x576.jpg

For database nerds out there, if you think of a flat file as a 2-dimensional database and a relational database as 3-dimensional, then a blockchain is 4-dimensional. It adds time as well as multiple copies of the database – it’s decentralized.

Chris demonstrates how to set up a wallet. On her iPhone (or Android) search the app store for Blue Wallet and install. When you open it you are prompted to create a wallet. Tap that and you’re done – the wallet is set up, no personal identification, no account involved. The wallet is defined by a 12 word “key.”

You can spend bitcoin at a variety of businesses, check out Coinmap.org the map will show you local businesses that accept bitcoin as payment for products and services. 99bitcoins.com also gives you information about where you can spend bitcoin.

Blockchain Revolution

TED talk

Reddit Bitcoin for Beginners

55:00​ Review