Oct 17 2007
I haven’t messed around with Nokia’s Lifeblog service because I don’t have an Nseries device and blogging from a mobile seems somewhat limited. In any event, Lifeblog supports TypePad as a blogging platform but WordPress support is strangely missing.
PhoneBoy developed a solution for WordPress versions 2.05 through 2.2 and today his hack supports 2.3. So grab a copy of his PHP code and go nuts.
[Via Weblog Tools Collection]
Oct 15 2007
Awhile back I came across this site with photos of how people took the crap on top of their computer desk and placed it underneath. I’m not talking about a slide-out drawer but actually placing equipment like external hard drives, USB hubs, etc., out of sight.
Short on time? Visit the image gallery.
Taking a cue from the examples I built my own rendition. The parts:
First off I measured the underside of my desk and bought a sheet of pegboard from Home Depot and had them cut to fit. Pegboard comes in varying thickness so judge what you need; I went slightly thicker.
Rather than use lock shackles and dowels for attaching my pegboard, I went the route of hanger bolts. Tip: go to a local hardware store like Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH) because the selection of sizes from Home Depot and Lowes was very limited. When choosing the length of bolt, be sure to include these variables:
Flip your desk onto the floor so you have complete access. Lay down the pegboard and select five locations to place the hanger bolts. I chose four corners and center, although not too far to the edges. The center bolt was set toward the rear of the desk to avoid hitting it with my leg. Hint: get your orientation correct now because it’ll be different when you flip the desk upright.
Drill pilot holes and screw in the hanger bolts. Chances are you’ll need to use two wrenches and/or square nuts to screw down the hanger bolt (shorter bolts don’t have a center turning surface). Secure the pegboard using a washer and wing nut - leave some slack for installing zip-ties.
Place equipment onto the pegboard while the desk is upside down to get an idea of location. Lots of zip-ties later you can see how I ran cables and devices. When done, flip the desk upright and enjoy! It took almost a day to complete with driving to hardware stores, measuring twice, and installing everything. Total cost was around $35.
The front of my pegboard (near keyboard) sags a bit because there is no wing nut installed (to avoid scraping legs and other personal parts). In this case a machine or wood screw should suffice to close the gap and be sure to turn it flush. There may be better options.
Keep in mind the zip-ties will create a gap between the desk and pegboard; this is important when sizing the hanger bolts. With everything being positioned toward the sides and rear it gives me ample room for my legs and avoid hitting anything. It’s important to trim zip-ties close and/or rotate them to avoid a nasty cut later.
I haven’t added new equipment yet and it’ll probably be more difficult with the desk being upright. During the installation I left extra room for new cables and attaching new equipment under existing pieces, building downward to the floor.
Click here for more, and larger, photos in my image gallery.
Oct 12 2007
I snapped this photo at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA. It’s the Air Force One used during his Presidency, and yes, it’s indoors.
What’s striking about the image is the “vanishing” tail fin of the aircraft. Reflecting the nearby glass window structure, the tail appears almost invisible.
Sep 28 2007
Nokia knows how to throw a party; the booze was flowing and food was everywhere. I’ve never seen so many N95s in one place and not just the demo units but the ones brought in by guests. Getting a chance to talk with Nokia staff was the best part of the evening and I learned a few things about the U.S. launch.
Nokia isn’t responding to Apple’s launch of the iPhone. They’ve been planning a U.S. campaign for years and it seems the tall ivory towers at Nokia HQ were the cause for delay. It was largely an analysis and numbers game compared to Apple’s “innovation at any cost” strategy.
Nokia USA exec Bill Plummer thanked the crowd for being early adopters and spreading the word about Symbian. He went on to say, and it was mentioned by other Nokia staff and users, that the Nseries devices are for content-creators compared to the iPhone’s position of content-consumption. After witnessing the capabilities of the N95 I’d agree, but the “creator vs consumer” comparison changes based on the context.
Who, exactly, is creating this content with the Nseries and are they willing to spend $500 to $700 to do so? I have an unlikely, but perfect, target customer and it’s not college kids or aspiring YouTubers.
One word: parents.
It’s not always possible, or convenient, to have a still camera and camcorder lying around for capturing those spur-of-the-moment childhood memories but a mobile device is always at hand. The N95 grabs those memories with a 5 megapixel still camera and can capture full-motion video. It may not be HD but neither is my Digital8 camcorder.
What about the N95’s other multimedia features?
How better to silence an upset child than playing their favorite movie. I keep Pixar’s Cars and The Incredibles at the ready on my E61. I also load up on still photos because my son loves seeing his grandparents.
Movies and photos not doing the trick? Load up an educational game (a la the resurrected N-Gage gaming platform) to keep your child occupied while you wait in the pediatrician’s office.
What did I forget?
Phone-to-phone videoconferencing at a moment’s notice, wherever you are. Save money on your mobile bill with the N95’s built-in VOIP (a la Truphone or Gizmo) or the soon-to-be-released Skype client. Use the built-in GPS receiver and Maps application to find your way. Sync your calendar and address book. Read your e-mail.
Parents spare no expense for their children especially when it comes to taking photos and video. Is the ability to watch movies, videochat, have GPS, and use VOIP worth the N95’s $700 price tag? Let’s see what separate devices would cost you.
The N95’s feature set is leaps and bounds ahead of the competition and $700 is a bargain compared to buying separate devices. Dad and mom can have their own N95 for less than one set of cameras, portable GPS, etc. Some people don’t like an “all-in-one” device but the overall convenience and capabilities outweigh the negatives.
I almost forgot to mention the N95 can make an ordinary phone call.
Sep 21 2007
Ever since Microsoft led the charge with Windows 95 the traditional way of software versioning using decimal numbers (i.e.: Windows 3.0, 3.1, etc.) went out the window. Microsoft felt the consumer needed an easier way to know what they were running and they supposed Windows 4.0 was too difficult to remember. It turns out this was simply marketing mumbo-jumbo because Windows 95 still carried a decimal version number of 4.00.950 and undoubtedly you’d be asked to provide this when communicating with your tech support department.
Although Microsoft abandoned the use of a model year with Windows XP it still rears it’s head in some versions of XP. Consider this screen capture of Windows XP Tablet Edition and remember that the model year was intended to avoid consumer confusion.
That’s right: Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 Version 2002 Service Pack 2.
I’m more confused than ever thanks to someone at Microsoft deciding how product names should be presented to consumers and clearly missing the point.
You may be wondering about the decimal equivalent of Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 Version 2002 Service Pack 2. Surely it’s a wicked amalgamation of decimal points and numbers. No, it’s quite simple:
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
I’m thankful Microsoft dropped the model year for Windows Vista because, clearly, it wasn’t working.