If you’re the Lego type (and we are in spades in this house), then this is a nifty tool that might appeal, although it has a lot of bells and whistles and takes some patience, so not ideally suited to the younger or less patient aficionados out there. Continue reading “Lego Digital Designer”
Category: Tech
Mapping Where Your Ancestors Came From
Whenever I discover a new likely ancestor who was born, married, or died in a townland or parish I’ve not heard of before, I have to call my mum to ask whether it’s likely we had family living there. 9 times out of 10, she can tell in an instant that there’s no way we’d have people there, or that I’m on to a sure thing. And sometimes a place name that hasn’t come up before will bring out some forgotten family connections or names and relationships, opening up a treasure trove of research opportunity.
My mum knows the lie of the land like the back of her hand; I haven’t a clue, and just can’t seem to retain the information she patiently imparts, over and over and over again.
So, recently I decided to try Google before plaguing her once more on where such-and-such-a-place was in relation to such-another-place, where we definitely had family, and I came upon this wonderful resource: an interactive map of Irish counties, baronies, civil parishes and townlands!
Arnotts Gifts App
I love a freebie, and similarly-minded Dublin-based folks with a commute that takes them through the city centre may be interested in the Arnotts Gifts app for iThings.
Recycling Toner Cartridges
We’re currently running 2 Samsung laser printers in our home office: one is just a printer, the other is an all-in-one. They are fabulous – I love them to bits. Quiet, efficient, fast, reliable. Everything any inkjet I’ve ever owned wasn’t.
To top it all, when I had to replace toner recently, I spotted a notice on the box that Samsung now run a recycling program for toner cartridges: once you’ve installed your new toner, you pack the old one back into the box the new one came in, then go to http://www.samsung.com/printer/recycle/ to register your and your printer’s details, and print out a postage-paid return label to send it home. Brilliant!
Hearst Magazines Summer Sale for iThings
I love Newsstand on iThings, mainly on the iPad, though content is surprisingly accessible on the iPhone too. I love that I can decide over breakfast that I’d like to read a magazine, then download one without leaving the house; I love that I can access some obscure titles without placing a special order with my newsagent; I love that the magazines cost less than they do in the newsagent’s (there’s a shocking markup on magazines here in Ireland); I love that I don’t wind up with stacks of paper creating clutter and needing to be recycled, and that even if I’ve deleted an issue I can download it again for free any time; I love that I can bring a stack of magazines with me in my pocket when I leave the house; I love that I can zoom in on content if it’s not clear enough at standard size. There’s a lot to love.