Archive for: January, 2010

Why I bought a Scansnap S1500

Jan 31 2010 Published by under Ramblings

This video tells all…

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Tweaking wifi at #ipdchouston

Jan 30 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Posted by richardyoo on Natuba

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Helping with wifi at iphone dev camp houston

Jan 29 2010 Published by under Ramblings

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Scansnap S1500 arrived – this thing is awesome!

Jan 28 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Posted by richardyoo on Natuba

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Recess first… then lunch.

Jan 28 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Clearly, these people have not experienced recess in a hot area like Texas 🙂 But maybe they’re on to something…

Can something as simple as the timing of recess make a difference in a child’s health and behavior?

Some experts think it can, and now some schools are rescheduling recess — sending students out to play before they sit down for lunch. The switch appears to have led to some surprising changes in both cafeteria and classroom.

Play, Then Eat: Shift May Bring Gains at School

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Why I’m not into the new #iPad from Apple

Jan 27 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Everyone I know, knows that I’m not a fan of netbooks… the short list goes like this:

  • They’re not that much smaller – Yes, they seem small and cute at quick glance… but then you notice how thick they are, and you quickly realize that a sub-notebook is about the same weight overall. Oh, and the tiny keyboards on the netbooks are a pain to type on.
  • They aren’t any less expensive – back in the days when laptops cost north of a grand, a $300 to $400 netbook sounded like a good idea… but these days you can get full laptops in that price range – fully loaded too with DVD burners and plenty of RAM.
  • They’re not a full PC – They have really slow processors, hardly any storage, and tiny screen… you can try to surf on the web with them, but deep down inside you wish you had a real laptop… did I mention that terrible and tiny keyboard?

Ultimately – you keep yearning for a full notebook….

I could go on and on, but this article isn’t about netbooks… its about the iPad… so here’s what I think about it:

  • It isn’t not that much smaller – Yes, its only a 1/2 inch thick… but even the Apple Macbook Air is just a shy thicker than the tablet… there are many PC laptops that are in the sub one-inch catagory now as well…
  • It isn’t any less expensive – With an average price of about $600 to $700 you could just get a real laptop (PC or Mac).
  • Its not a full PC – you can’t run actual applications… there’s no Flash support in the browser either. And I can’t imagine what it would be like to type on the on-screen keyboard for a long email message or anything.

Ultimately – I think you’d be yearning for a full notebook…. if you were traveling you’d either carry a laptop along with the iPad or just leave the iPad at home…

Many of the limitations of the iPhone (no Flash, expensive, no keyboard) were great compromises since it fit in my pocket.. in fact, the iPhone is so compelling I still carry it in addition to my Blackberry everywhere I go… its always with me. But in a large size – I’m not willing to compromise.

With all that said – I’m sure it will sell well enough to keep its shelf-space in the Apples stores for many quarters to come, but…. to me, its just another toy from Apple like the Apple TV… neat toy… but not something everyone will need or want to have.

Update: For those of you who think it’ll crush the Kindle…

  • The kindle is tiny – its about the equivalent to a small magazine in my bag. In comparison, the iPad is huge.
  • The Kindle is inexpensive for what it is – Its less than 1/2 the cost of the iPad and here’s no subscription fee for data access.
  • The Kindle is what it is – Its an ebook reader and it doesn’t try to be more than it is. The e-ink screen is amazing. It has a real keyboard so those few times you want to type in a something (search, etc) its easy to do.

The kindle’s competition is the paper book (not the iPad) – and I think its better than a paper book – much better.

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Bill Gates on Daily Show

Jan 27 2010 Published by under Ramblings

The state of Gates on Daily Show…

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
Bill Gates
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show
Full Episodes
Political Humor Health Care Crisis

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45mins free Internet at IAH and HOU airports

Jan 25 2010 Published by under Ramblings

This is great news!

“We are listening to our passengers and enhancing our internet offerings with free services for 45 minutes,” said Tim Joniec, director of Customer Relations and Special Services for the Houston Airport System.

Free Wi-Fi minutes at Houston airports

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Fun? Or just motivated?

Jan 22 2010 Published by under Ramblings

How to get things done 2.0… 🙂

Those who value excellence and hard work generally do better than others on specific tasks when they are reminded of those values. But when a task is presented as fun, researchers report, the same individuals often will do worse than those who say they are less motivated to achieve.

Those Less Motivated to Achieve Will Excel on Tasks Seen as Fun

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How David Blaine holds his breath

Jan 21 2010 Published by under Ramblings

So maybe he really can hold is breath as long as he claims…

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The latest on ATM skimming

Jan 18 2010 Published by under Ramblings

I had no idea these crooks had gotten this sophisticated…. yikes!

Pictured below is what’s known as a skimmer, or a device made to be affixed to the mouth of an ATM machine and secretly swipe credit and debit card information when bank customers slip their cards into the machines to pull out money. Skimmers have been around for years, of course, but thieves are constantly improving them, and the device picture below is a perfect example of that evolution.

This particular skimmer was found Dec. 6, 2009, attached to the front of a Citibank ATM in Woodland Hills, Calif. Would you have been able to spot this?

Would You Have Spotted the Fraud?

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Keynote by Microsoft at CES 2010

Jan 14 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Microsoft just published the keynote from CES 2010:

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More direction finding at ECHO ham meeting

Jan 13 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Posted by richardyoo on Natuba

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Demo of tape-measure yagi at ECHO ham radio meeting

Jan 12 2010 Published by under Ramblings

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New ham radio arrived – Yeasu FTM-350R

Jan 11 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Posted by richardyoo on Natuba

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Sales demoes – this would happen to me all the time!

Jan 11 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Man, I can’t tell you the number of times I’d visit a vendor and they wouldn’t have anything to show me… crazy!

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That’s a lot of Mifi’s in one place

Jan 10 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Posted by richardyoo on Natuba

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Airnegy Wifi Power- the coolest thing at CES 2010 I saw

Jan 09 2010 Published by under Ramblings

This has got to be the coolest thing I saw at CES this year… the next version will be small enough where it will fit INSIDE the battery!

More on Engadget:

Airnergy WiFi power system gives RCA a reason to exist

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Taser demo – audience member getting shocked

Jan 09 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Posted by richardyoo on Natuba

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3m pico projectors – hot!

Jan 09 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Posted by richardyoo on Natuba

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I’m getting really tired of 3D – gag!

Jan 08 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Posted by richardyoo on Natuba

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WiPower wireless power

Jan 08 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Posted by richardyoo on Natuba

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At CES 2010

Jan 07 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Posted by richardyoo on Natuba

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F-you iPhone!

Jan 06 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Cracks me up…

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Flash on phones is here

Jan 06 2010 Published by under Ramblings

Flash is going to rolling on Google Nexus One soon…

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