Verizon Mobile Hot Spot firmware updates – PowerPC Mac incompatibility

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Kathy

It has been almost a month since I got the account with Verizon. After compatibility problems with their USB Wireless Modem, I settled on their Mobile Hot Spot (MiFi). Worked OK until this morning when I tried to connect to the internet when I got a message that a firmware update was needed. there was an “architecture not supported” error message for the firmware update application DUU_Verizon_MiFi4510L_FW2.16.07.app

ppc incompatible error message

I called Tech Support at about 8 am this morning to report the problem.

Last month I asked tech support to double check that my hardware, a Macintosh iBook G4 — with a PowerPC (rather than Intel) processor was supported. Turns out that the software they distribute to install the firmware update is not usable on a Macintosh with a PowerPC processor, just Intel processor Macs. And they don’t supply a version for PPC Macs. I suspect that pre-XP MS Windows users may be in the same boat.

Verizon tech support called back around 2 PM with a response.

The good news is that you can get your mobile hotspot firmware updated, you just need to use another computer to do it. I am thinking that the local Verizon store would be a good place to seek assistance with this. Stay tuned…

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Lots happening

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Kathy

I haven’t written for some time. Decided to give up the house after various problems — needed a lot less stress. It has been a rough year so far.

I rented a self-storage unit at the end of June and started to fill it while discarding things I no longer needed. I am currently renting a room with refrigerator and microwave in Shelocta PA. It is comfortable and restful after all the packing and no lease required. I can rotate stuff from the storage unit to avoid clutter.

So far the biggest issue has been internet access. I am writing this at Starbucks in Indiana PA. I can use the cell phone browser to check email and Facebook, but really need the lappie (G4 iBook) to do web sites.

I did finish a doily before I started to pack:

24 inch crocheted centerpiece doily

I took this picture with my cell phone camera, but it was too big to send. A couple days ago I got a USB micro-USB cable at KMart, so now able to access the videos, photos, and audio from the cell phone. I am getting to like it — in a small package you get the phone, calendar, alarms, rudimentary web browser and it keeps excellent time.

If you want to contact me, use my gmail address or call my cell phone.

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RateTea.net comes through

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Kathy

Back in January 2008 I was frustrated in trying to get information, ended up writing a rant: multinational tea bags.

RateTea.net has come through. Today they had a link on their Facebook page entitled Nylon Tea Bags.

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static page additions and updates

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Kathy

I have now have a “static” page of links using a Template Tag in a new page template. Also I’ve re-organized the Links menu pages.

Somewhere between three and two blog posts ago Facebook seems to have stopped importing my posts as Notes from this RSS feed. Oh, well, if Facebook were more reliable, we probably would need to pay for it (other than by advertising exposure). Unfortunately some people won’t look at anything on the internet unless it is on Facebook.

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tea pot rotation

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Kathy

A couple weeks ago I switched from using a Japanese porcelain pot I had been using over the winter to an unglazed, earthy Yixing replica pot shown above. There is a capacity difference, the porcelain pot easily held 23 oz (0.7 liters) which was good for filling my big mugs (17 oz, 0.5+ liters) and topping them off several times. The unglazed pot is good for one filling of the 14 oz (0.4 liter) medium mugs.

The squat design and large lid make emptying the spent tea leaves quite easy. It has a narrow opening in the spout and you don’t really need a tea strainer because the spout is attached to the body of the pot through some small holes.

I thought the first brewing had an earthy taste, but now that I am using the pot a couple times a day, that no longer seems to be the case. I am brewing black, loose leaf tea in it. It would be good for green tea too, but I think I will reserve the Tetsubin for that because I drink black tea daily.

It was a rough late winter and early spring this year. I admit to reverting to using more bag tea (Red Rose™) and consuming way too much tea. (Even when I use bag tea, I still brew it in a pot.) Although I didn’t feel well during that time period, from the first week of January through the third week of April I didn’t have serious migraines as opposed to being down for two to four days every two or three weeks. Might be a coincidence or might be that I need the caffeine to function?

Anyway, it was a way to mark the change in seasons. We still are not past frost danger but I don’t need to consume a liter of hot tea in the morning to get warm.

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