Category: Toys & Tech

Apex DLL issue?

After recently installing a game (maybe Apex Legends on Steam), I tried opening my default graphics editor and got a weird Windows dll error. If you get a similar one that says:

The program can't start because VCRUNTIME140.dll is missing from your computer. Try re-installing the program to fix this problem.

or:

The code execution cannot proceed because VCRUNTIME140.dll was not found. Reinstalling the program may fix this problem.

You can probably fix it by replacing the missing dll file or reinstalling the appropriate Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable package. I remembered seeing a Visual C++ installer before a game install so I just tried the latter first and it worked:

See?

Dubai Lamps for Sale in Thailand?

Imagine my surprise at finding a supposed source for the new super-efficient LED bulbs made exclusively by Philips for UAE royalty (“exclusive,” as in, you can’t buy them anywhere else), invented to comply with government regulations. The redundant circuitry sounds exactly like what I need for my house here in the northeast, plagued with frequent overvoltage problems, which in turn necessitates frequent bulb replacement.

I kind of doubt the seller is legit, but I’m curious enough to try and buy a few.

LINE Windows App Bug

If you are installing LINE on Windows, download the installer directly from the website and don’t bother with the app available through Windows. The Windows app version has a couple of unique conveniences like native Windows notifications, but is badly bugged. It throws up “Newer version available! Update?” in an annoying dialog box every time LINE starts up, even if you are using the latest version. Trash.

Google Maps to Rule Them All

I think that Google should be pushing Maps into social media harder because it currently controls the majority (the number I’ve seen recently is ~70%) of the online map market, but is getting undercut, mainly by Waze. For Thailand, outside of urban centers, Waze is complete trash (as are all other competitors except for dedicated GPS systems like Garmin). Plus, there are already 30 million Local Guides worldwide according to Google.

This is a step in the right direction: Google Maps tests a social networking feature with the ability to ‘follow’ Local Guides

Full disclaimer: I am an active Local Guide

If Google Maps would integrate the user-contributed traffic and police reports of Waze into an optional view of the current system, it would just be SO GOOD… Or how about attacking social media from a location-centric (specifically maps-centric) standpoint? And reinstating all the functions/data of Google Reader as well? Before Facebook and Insta cause the collapse of all non-soc media websites? kthxbai