Google Has Locked Me Out My Custom Blog

It is what it is.

I had spent hours in writing a total of 1860 lines of HTML/CSS codes to create this customized blog. I ain't going to trash it. Google says it no longer support any old blog formats. Who is to say the next generation of Google staff won't abandon the extant formats, say, three to five years from now?

For sure, I can no longer change the personally selected seasonal images. In other words, I am locked out of the image editor. The spring orchard of white almond blooms you are seeing can not be changed - for now. Maybe there is a way to by-pass Google's questionable wisdom on blocking user's custom blog.

New Google Makeovers Could End Ringtone Posts

I have not been able to access the music files (posted music and iOS ringtones) since late spring of this year 2020. Perhaps it is time to let these posted files die on the Google vine. I should evaluate how this new Google fandangles works. As a matter of fact, I have been redirected (not that I had a choice) to use the new Google Blogger for this blog entry.

Migration Plan to Cloud Computing Complete

Microsoft has officially notified me it will no longer support Windows XP on 8 April 2014. Since January I have been devising a workflow plan of weaning document production and storage on my Windows XP units.

As of this writing, the planned migration away from the Microsoft platform to Apple devices and the cloud storage are complete and operational. This plan also involved some fine-tuning of the extant Google services Gmail and Google Drive.

Macro highlights of the changes put in practice are as follows:

• Reduce the use of Google's 15 Gb storage for all its apps to 2.5% or less:
  
  • Set Gmail account as same sender at a free 1TB Yahoo Mail account
    
  • Set auto-forward of Gmail newly sent and received email to Yahoo Mail account
    
  • Set auto-delete of newly sent and received Gmail
    
  • Set auto Google Drive script to send all old Gmail conversations to the Yahoo Mail account.
    
  • Extract Gmail attachments (jpg, pdf, mp3, mp4, and etc.) and upload them to cloud storage
    
  • Set up option to redirect Google Drive files to Box's 50 Gb free storage.
    
  • Clean-up Google Drive for use as a cloud "spare tire" or reserve.
    

• Migrate Widows Office Suite files from the Windows XP SD to the cloud
  
  • Set up free CloudOn Microsoft 2010 Office Suite linked to Google Drive and Box
    
  • Migrate all applicable all blog music, xml, and html to the cloud
    
  • Set up iOS devices' Numbers and Pages apps to "Open in..." cloud services
    

• Migrate Media Files from the Windows XP SD to the cloud
  
  • Set up iOS devices to do file and folder tasks (e.g. make, rename, delete, move, and 'open in...')
    
  • Set up iOS devices upload to the cloud directly including file compression
    
  • Set up iOS devices download from the cloud including file decompression
    
  • Set up iOS devices by-passing iTunes to import and export media files
    
  • Index and manage all media file uploads to the cloud
    
  • Create primary and secondary WebDav servers on all iOS devices for file sharing
    

- L'envoi
iPad 3 iOS 7.1
Mobile Post
Zaggfolio augmented

Google Hangouts Version 1.3 Is Not For Me

Google's latest release of Hangouts v. 1.3 for iOS 6 and newer is both good and bad.

If one has a Google Voice number, and access to a fast and dependable WI-FI as I, then this is a good app to make free phone calls and videos in the United States and Canada. The quality of the voice calls is very good.

I HAD the app installed on my iPod Touch 4S, iPhone 5S, and the iPad 3.

After the input of my Google Voice number on my iPhone 5S, I waited for the required Google's verification code. By the way, the quickest way to get this code is open the Google Voice app and look for the sent SMS containing the verification code. After having received the 4-digit verification code, I keyed it in the paused installation process. The SMS was also sent to my Gmail. It did take longer for the confirmation code to arrive in my Gmail.

Now, the first bad thing. One is required to join or has already joined Google+ before the installation can proceed. This Google+ membership may or may not be the thing to have. Once joined, however, the Google tentacles latch on and tether the person to its matrix.

During the app installation, if one approves to have the Gmail contacts linked, this is where the unpleasantness and annoyance really got amplified. I approved the contact list link just to see what I was getting into.

Well, Google linked practically all of my Gmail account contacts into this Hangouts app. It also populated the contact list in all of my iOS devices where Hangouts were installed. The first tier of linked contacts to surface in the finished installed app was those addresses with the predominant domains of Gmail, Comcast, and MSN. Google categorized these contacts as people I should persuade or suggest to join Google +.

Note: There was no built-in provision in Hangouts version 1.3 to selectively allow the exclusions on linked contacts. It was an all or nothing contact list linked.

The only way to remove linked contacts from Hangouts is to go back to the Contacts in either Gmail or Google Voice and selectively delete them. Yes, delete. A painful and permanent exclusion to be sure. If this exercise raises seriously doubt in one's mind whether to continue to take the plunge into this new rabbit hole, consider deleting Google+.

This is very important: If one is so inclined to check out this Hangouts app, do not import contacts during installation. If WI-FI connectivity is poor or not accessible, this app will default to a subscribed data plan minutes.

As for me, I gave up on the iOS Hangouts app and deleted my Google+ account. The whole Google+ thing was more trouble than it's worth. For now, my Google Voice number and its VoIP setup for making free calls should do just fine.


- a L'envoi iPad 3 post
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