Check out my cousin's blog:
http://elpasomountains.blogspot.com
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
NOT Being Digital?
Back in 1995, I bought a book called "Being Digital"
by Nicholas Negroponte. Negroponte is the founder of the MIT Media Lab, as well as the OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) Project.
I read it cover-to-cover several times, and it had a strong influence on me at the time, and many of the predictions made within it turned out to be right on the money.
Somewhere along the way, I lost it. I don't know if I loaned it out and never got it back, misplaced it in a move - I just don't know where it went. So I wanted to replace it, and read it again.
Now that I live in the bright, shining digital future Negroponte foretold, I wanted to buy it in digital form to read on my iPad. Get this - it's not available in readable digital form. It's only available in print and audiobook (narrated by Penn Jillette). WTF?!?
by Nicholas Negroponte. Negroponte is the founder of the MIT Media Lab, as well as the OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) Project.I read it cover-to-cover several times, and it had a strong influence on me at the time, and many of the predictions made within it turned out to be right on the money.
Somewhere along the way, I lost it. I don't know if I loaned it out and never got it back, misplaced it in a move - I just don't know where it went. So I wanted to replace it, and read it again.
Now that I live in the bright, shining digital future Negroponte foretold, I wanted to buy it in digital form to read on my iPad. Get this - it's not available in readable digital form. It's only available in print and audiobook (narrated by Penn Jillette). WTF?!?
Friday, April 29, 2011
Nice job, Sony
Like many others, have a PlayStation network account. And apparently someone not only hacked their network, but was somehow able to download unencrypted files containing ALL the information about the users of the network, including passwords and credit card information. Many people have observed that this may be retaliation from the hacker community in response to the way Sony handled the Geohot case.
I look at it this way - I understand that it's virtually impossible to be 100% certain that someone can't break into your home (servers). You lock the doors and windows, maybe install an alarm system and cameras, etc. One thing you DON'T do is lay all of your valuables (account holders' information - all unencrypted) right at the front doorstep in a convenient carrying case, to make the thief's life easier.
Once they became aware of the intrusion, Sony shut down the network and spent a week or so having forensics experts figure out what happened. Only then did they come out and admit that the hackers GOT EVERYTHING. I can't wait to see what happens with a class action suit. Of course, by the time everyone gets their piece of the settlement, the end users will get a $20 gift card for the PlayStation Network. Once that happens, watch eBay for them. They'll probably be at a significant discount to face value.
Magically I've been getting notices like "you recently attempted to access your account using your secret questions" from a variety of places. Hmmm... Thanks Sony. And by the way, as soon as the network is back up, I may be hacking my PS3 and maybe even play some pirated games - because you deserve it. Besides - I rarely even play games on the PS3 anyway. The Xbox 360 has a MUCH better online experience in virtually every respect.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Bought an iPad. Still have no idea what I "need" it for.
This past weekend I bought an iPad (1st gen, wi-fi only) second-hand. Apparently the woman I bought it from had purchased it about 2 weeks before the iPad 2 was released. Once she saw the iPad 2, she got buyers remorse and decided she wanted the new one instead. So I picked up an immaculate iPad for $300 cash. I really don't care about the fact that the iPad 2 is faster/better/lighter/has a camera. I just had a case of peperoncini en culo to buy a new gadget, and this iPad hit the spot. ;)
It's a very cool device, but I still have no real use for it. Since I am never without my iPhone 4, the iPad sort of feels like a larger, yet lesser device. That said, it's slowly taking over for my Mac when it comes to casual browsing while watching TV. So that's something. :)
I then went to the Apple Store and bought a Griffin Airstrap case.
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| The iPad did not come with this wallpaper... ;) |
I then went to the Apple Store and bought a Griffin Airstrap case.
The case is solid, but a little too solid around the sleep/wake and volume buttons. I'm considering a little surgery a-la dremel to remove the plastic in that area. Even until then, it provides very good protection for that aluminum back, and has a handy strap to slide your hand into.
Pythagoras Theory - Animated Explanation
Why didn't anyone show me this when I was taught Pythagoras Theory??
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Just said goodbye to my unlimited data on iPhone
With the release of iOS 4.3, the new "personal hotspot" feature made it very attractive to switch from my grandfathered "unlimited data" plan to the slightly higher-priced new data plan. My only concern was hitting the new 4GB monthly limit.
I checked my past data usage and over the past year I've never even used 1GB in any given month. If I recall correctly, I hit 1GB once about 2 years ago. That said, I wasn't using that connection for anything other than content on the phone. The data usage will almost certainly increase once I start actually using this new feature. I'll have to keep an eye on it, since once the monthly usage exceeds 4GB, the overage fee is $10 per GB.
So I pulled the trigger and switched. I think it'll be useful to have a WiFi connection virtually anywhere. Stay tuned.
NOTE: I know I could've used this feature without an additional cost by jailbreaking the phone, but since I rely on the phone for business every day, I don't want to take the (admittedly minimal) risk.
UPDATE: Apparently AT&T has begun "cracking down" on unauthorized tethering...
I checked my past data usage and over the past year I've never even used 1GB in any given month. If I recall correctly, I hit 1GB once about 2 years ago. That said, I wasn't using that connection for anything other than content on the phone. The data usage will almost certainly increase once I start actually using this new feature. I'll have to keep an eye on it, since once the monthly usage exceeds 4GB, the overage fee is $10 per GB.
So I pulled the trigger and switched. I think it'll be useful to have a WiFi connection virtually anywhere. Stay tuned.
NOTE: I know I could've used this feature without an additional cost by jailbreaking the phone, but since I rely on the phone for business every day, I don't want to take the (admittedly minimal) risk.
UPDATE: Apparently AT&T has begun "cracking down" on unauthorized tethering...
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Three Philadelphia priests, teacher charged with sexually abusing boys
Three of the priests allegedly raped the SAME boy repeatedly. I believe there's a special place in hell for these men.
Three Philadelphia priests, teacher charged with sexually abusing boys – CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com Blogs
Three Philadelphia priests, teacher charged with sexually abusing boys – CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com Blogs
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Casio Exilim EX-H20G Review
At the 2011 CES, I saw the Casio EX-H20G camera, and really liked it. I've already got a few digital point-and-shoot cameras (three), and really don't need a new one. That being said, this one offered something that the others don't - GPS. It also is a 14-megapixel shooter that does 720p video. :)
It offers 10x optical zoom, whereas many other digital cameras will do 2x or 3x optical zoom and then "cheat" by using digital zoom for anything over that. It also has a 24mm wide-angle lens, so you can fit more into a shot without backing up - think group shots at restaurants.
I've been spoiled by the geotagging that automatically occurs when I take pictures with my iPhone. I like knowing precisely where a photo was taken, not having to put that information in when I upload the files to Flickr, or trying to remember that information later.
About 2 weeks ago, I got one as a birthday gift. Of course, I started playing with it almost immediately after the battery was fully charged - which was just a few short hours.
Overall, I'm pretty pleased with it. It supports very high-capacity SDHC & SDXC cards, and I received a 32GB SDHC card with the gift. That means tons upon tons of pictures, and many hours of high-def video with just one card - great when traveling. I had read some reviews on Amazon that complained about the battery door popping open or feeling weak. I have no such complaints. It's actually better than two of my other cameras. Their battery doors are single tension - slide it on and it locks, but if you bump the door in just the right way, it will pop open accidentally. The battery door on the EX-H20G actually has a second sliding lock that keeps the battery/card access door locked in place. I suppose if I dropped the camera it might break, but under normal use it feels very solid.
In addition to the automatic geotagging, the camera offers a number of other cool features. First on my list is "Premium Auto". This takes longer between shots to process the picture, but produces quite good pictures for virtually any setting. Day or night, moving or still, macro or far, inanimate objects or even multiple face detection - "Premium Auto" will intelligently manage the settings for you. I'm lazy, so I like stuff like that. I don't know enough about ISOs, f-stops, white balance, etc to worry about those settings. This camera deals with it for me.
Although Windows Live Photo Gallery will automatically stitch together panoramas, it can also be convenient to be able to do it in-camera. The EX-H20G has a panorama mode that is surprisingly good. Once you've set it to panorama mode, all you have to do is hold the shutter down and rotate your body. You'll hear a satisfying rapid-fire clicking sound until you release the button. After just a few seconds of processing, you'll have a very nice panorama shot. Witness this shot of a friend's backyard, taken about on my first day with the EX-H20G:
About the panorama shots - the resolution of panoramas created with the EX-H20G are not as high-quality as those made with Windows Live Photo Gallery, but they're pre-cropped and each panel is color-balanced to the others, so there's no weird color variations in the same panorama.
Overall I'm very happy with this camera, and plan to either sell or give away at least two of my other three point-and-shoot cameras. I'd recommend it highly to anyone who wants a nice, flexible and easy to use point-and-shoot.
EDIT: looks like Engadget agrees with me. :)
It offers 10x optical zoom, whereas many other digital cameras will do 2x or 3x optical zoom and then "cheat" by using digital zoom for anything over that. It also has a 24mm wide-angle lens, so you can fit more into a shot without backing up - think group shots at restaurants.
I've been spoiled by the geotagging that automatically occurs when I take pictures with my iPhone. I like knowing precisely where a photo was taken, not having to put that information in when I upload the files to Flickr, or trying to remember that information later.
About 2 weeks ago, I got one as a birthday gift. Of course, I started playing with it almost immediately after the battery was fully charged - which was just a few short hours.
Overall, I'm pretty pleased with it. It supports very high-capacity SDHC & SDXC cards, and I received a 32GB SDHC card with the gift. That means tons upon tons of pictures, and many hours of high-def video with just one card - great when traveling. I had read some reviews on Amazon that complained about the battery door popping open or feeling weak. I have no such complaints. It's actually better than two of my other cameras. Their battery doors are single tension - slide it on and it locks, but if you bump the door in just the right way, it will pop open accidentally. The battery door on the EX-H20G actually has a second sliding lock that keeps the battery/card access door locked in place. I suppose if I dropped the camera it might break, but under normal use it feels very solid.
In addition to the automatic geotagging, the camera offers a number of other cool features. First on my list is "Premium Auto". This takes longer between shots to process the picture, but produces quite good pictures for virtually any setting. Day or night, moving or still, macro or far, inanimate objects or even multiple face detection - "Premium Auto" will intelligently manage the settings for you. I'm lazy, so I like stuff like that. I don't know enough about ISOs, f-stops, white balance, etc to worry about those settings. This camera deals with it for me.
Although Windows Live Photo Gallery will automatically stitch together panoramas, it can also be convenient to be able to do it in-camera. The EX-H20G has a panorama mode that is surprisingly good. Once you've set it to panorama mode, all you have to do is hold the shutter down and rotate your body. You'll hear a satisfying rapid-fire clicking sound until you release the button. After just a few seconds of processing, you'll have a very nice panorama shot. Witness this shot of a friend's backyard, taken about on my first day with the EX-H20G:
 | ||
| More than 180° from left-to-right. Click to see full size. |
Overall I'm very happy with this camera, and plan to either sell or give away at least two of my other three point-and-shoot cameras. I'd recommend it highly to anyone who wants a nice, flexible and easy to use point-and-shoot.
EDIT: looks like Engadget agrees with me. :)
Friday, February 4, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
CES 2011 - AT&T Failed
AT&T had ZERO presence at the 2011 CES.
Verizon had a GINORMOUS booth, with lots of devices to touch and play with.
Sprint had at least two, also with gadgets, including one outdoors with a DJ, 10 PlayStation 3's and freebies.
Also, my iPhone 4 had constant problems with data around the LV Convention Center during the show. Likely a problem with network congestion. Even if they didn't want to do a booth, they could have rolled up at least one of those mobile cell stations.
So me (and likely others) were using their iPhones, and getting poor data performance from AT&T. We're being courted by Verizon & Sprint, who have some admittedly nice phones. And where is AT&T? Nowhere.
AT&T - you failed. You should have had a booth at CES, and you should have done something to improve network performance around what is probably the biggest technology trade show in the United States, if not the world.
Verizon had a GINORMOUS booth, with lots of devices to touch and play with.
Sprint had at least two, also with gadgets, including one outdoors with a DJ, 10 PlayStation 3's and freebies.
Also, my iPhone 4 had constant problems with data around the LV Convention Center during the show. Likely a problem with network congestion. Even if they didn't want to do a booth, they could have rolled up at least one of those mobile cell stations.
So me (and likely others) were using their iPhones, and getting poor data performance from AT&T. We're being courted by Verizon & Sprint, who have some admittedly nice phones. And where is AT&T? Nowhere.
AT&T - you failed. You should have had a booth at CES, and you should have done something to improve network performance around what is probably the biggest technology trade show in the United States, if not the world.
CES 2011 - Tiffen wins award for CHEESIEST GIMMICK
At the CES today, I strolled by the the Tiffen booth. Tiffen makes the famous Steadicam system for motion picture production, and they also offer "consumerized" versions as well - even for iPhones.
The Tiffen rep told me that they would be having a raffle, and the prize was an iPod Nano. I don't need one, but I figured why not? The rep handed me a ticket and said I must be present to win, and that the drawing would occur at 2pm. It was around 1:30 or so, so I figured I'd browse other booths and come back.
I got back about 1:55 and noticed that there was a bit of a crowd, but not too much. I figured my chances were at least decent. The crowd began to build a bit, and after a few minutes, a woman's voice comes over the P.A.. She announces that Lady Gaga would be performing, and that after her performance, the drawing would occur. I was immediately suspicious, because Lady Gaga had already been at the CES for Polaroid - two years in a row.
She repeats the announcement that Lady Gaga would be performing - and she repeated the announcement multiple times. This causes a very large crowd to build. Many people pushed and shoved to get a closer spot. I looked behind me and it looked like there were at least 100 cameras or phones in the air hoping to catch a shot of the star. This was not a huge booth. The crowd overflowed into adjacent booths and walkways.
"Poker Face" begins playing over the speakers, and out comes what is clearly (at least to me) an impersonator lip-syncing. Some in the crowd realize it, many do not.
After the "performance", instead of letting the crowd in on the gag, the announcer carries the charade further. The drawing occurs and they have the winner pose for a picture with Lady Gaga. The rep tells the crowd that Lady Gaga will be available for pictures with the crowd. To my knowledge, they never told the crowd it was a fake.
Tiffen is a local (Glendale, CA) company that makes very fine, world-renowned products. They shouldn't even consider such lame antics. It reflects poorly on them and their company's goodwill.
The Tiffen rep told me that they would be having a raffle, and the prize was an iPod Nano. I don't need one, but I figured why not? The rep handed me a ticket and said I must be present to win, and that the drawing would occur at 2pm. It was around 1:30 or so, so I figured I'd browse other booths and come back.
I got back about 1:55 and noticed that there was a bit of a crowd, but not too much. I figured my chances were at least decent. The crowd began to build a bit, and after a few minutes, a woman's voice comes over the P.A.. She announces that Lady Gaga would be performing, and that after her performance, the drawing would occur. I was immediately suspicious, because Lady Gaga had already been at the CES for Polaroid - two years in a row.
She repeats the announcement that Lady Gaga would be performing - and she repeated the announcement multiple times. This causes a very large crowd to build. Many people pushed and shoved to get a closer spot. I looked behind me and it looked like there were at least 100 cameras or phones in the air hoping to catch a shot of the star. This was not a huge booth. The crowd overflowed into adjacent booths and walkways.
"Poker Face" begins playing over the speakers, and out comes what is clearly (at least to me) an impersonator lip-syncing. Some in the crowd realize it, many do not.
 |
| NOT Lady Gaga. Nice try, Tiffen. |
After the "performance", instead of letting the crowd in on the gag, the announcer carries the charade further. The drawing occurs and they have the winner pose for a picture with Lady Gaga. The rep tells the crowd that Lady Gaga will be available for pictures with the crowd. To my knowledge, they never told the crowd it was a fake.
Tiffen is a local (Glendale, CA) company that makes very fine, world-renowned products. They shouldn't even consider such lame antics. It reflects poorly on them and their company's goodwill.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
A Clever Christmas Gift
My step-mom's brother, Bruce (aka "Bubba") sent me a jar of "Bubba's Authentic Texas Wild Mustang Grape Jelly." Here is photographic evidence of his creativity, wit, and culinary skill:
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| The Jar of Jelly |
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| The lid on the jar |
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| The Certificate of Authenticity |
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